Referee Information

How Do I Become a Referee?

It depends on your age. If you are 12 to 14 years old you can take a Small Sided Referee Course and begin officiating U8 to U10 games and then U11/U12 games, as well as help out as an Assistant Referee in older games.

If you are 14 or older you can take an Entry Level Referee Course and become a Youth Referee if you are under 16, or a District Referee if you are 16 or older. This will let you referee full field games as either a Referee or Assistant Referee.

Go to https://www.bcsoccer.net/referee-clinics for more information and/or contact the Head Referee at headref@aldergrovesoccer.com for any questions you might have (including how AYSC may reimburse you for your course fee and your first year’s registration.)

Our Expectations of AYSC Referees

1. Show up to the game in time to talk to your assistants and tell them what you expect from them.
2. Your referee attire is a uniform for your job, and you must dress properly for every game.
3. Any referees that are experiencing problems with coaches or fans will be supported by the Head referee. Abuse will not be tolerated. We cannot, however, help you if you do not advise us of any problems. Contact the Head Referee at headref@aldergrovesoccer.com about any problems.
4. With hard work, and a commitment to learn more about soccer, there are many opportunities, for you as an official, to advance to higher calibre games.

Also please add any pertinent comments to your game reports so that we can track any issues re field conditions, coach/parent dissent, or any other unusual circumstances.
The head referee is mainly a resource person for all your refereeing concerns. Please feel free to email Art Bandenieks with any questions or comments at headref@aldergrovesoccer.com, or call Art at 604-308-0048. As always if you have any significant incidents or red cards given out at a game, let Art know. If you have any friends thinking of becoming referees tell them to contact Art for further information and dates of upcoming referee classes.

There are at least three different opportunities to officiate soccer games in Aldergrove.

Officiating U9 to U12 Games

If you have completed the Small Sided Referee Course you qualify to ref U9 to U12 soccer games. These games are scheduled by AYSC’s Head Referee. Send an email to headref@aldergrovesoccer.com and let them know you are available for the season. Typically the Head Referee sends an email out to all qualified refs for the upcoming weekend and the first ones to respond get assigned.

Assistant Referee – Older Games

If you have completed the Small Sided Referee Course you also qualify to help with the older games as an Assistant Referee. These games are scheduled by AYSC’s Head Referee. Send an email to headref@aldergrovesoccer.com and let them know you are available for the season. Typically the Head Referee sends an email out to all qualified refs for the upcoming weekend and the first ones to respond get assigned.

Refereeing Up to U18 Games

For those who are classified as Youth Referees and / or District Referees you qualify to ref up to U18 games as either the main referee, (described as the Diagonal Referee), or as an Assistant Referee. These games are scheduled by AYSC’s Head Referee. Send an email to headref@aldergrovesoccer.com and let them know you are available for the season. Typically the Head Referee sends an email out to all qualified refs for the upcoming weekend and the first ones to respond get assigned.

Refereeing Your First Game?

It is always a good idea to contact the Head Referee if it is your first game as one of the three different referees. The Head Referee will attempt to be present to support you or arrange for a mentor to be there to help out.

Annual Referee Registration

Please go to https://www.bcsoccer.net/referee-annual-registration for the most up-to-date information on annual referee registration requirements and procedures.

Referee Education

For the latest up-to-date Laws of the Game go to https://www.theifab.com/. You can also download an app for your cell phone from IFAB at https://www.theifab.com/logapp/.

For the latest up-to-date Rules of Small Sided Soccer see https://www.bcsoccer.net/files/AboutUs/BylawsRulesRegsPolicies/Small%20Sided%20Rules_updated_September_2020.pdf (PDF).

For other rules and regulations regarding soccer in BC, see https://www.bcsoccer.net/bylaws.