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Expectations
- Be on time. Arrive at least 15 minutes before your first game.
- Dress professionally. People will take you seriously if you look the part. Required referee equipment is listed below.
- Know your stuff. Study the laws of the games and understand the different rules for each league (indoor and outdoor have different rules).
- Be willing to learn. There is a lot more that goes into being a good referee than knowing just the rules. The more experience you get the more comfortable you will become. It takes time, but it is important that new referees listen to the advice of the more experienced referees.
- Be willing to teach. As a referee you hold an important position in that you can have a positive impact on everyone involved in the game. If a player or coach doesn't quite understand a rule or a call you made - find an appropriate time to politely explain the situation. (However, DO NOT under any circumstances respond to an irate player, coach or fan. Guidelines for dealing with these sort of problems are listed below).
- Have fun! Soccer is a game and meant to be enjoyed. Don't forget why everyone is there in the first place and have some fun yourself!
Uniform
- 2 Jerseys. We recommend that you start with red and yellow, but you can add other colors as you work more games.
- Black referee shorts.
- Black referee socks. Make sure they have the 3 stripes or USSF logo
- Dark colored shoes/cleats.
- Be sure to dress for the weather! Games are played rain or shine so bring extra layers, gloves, hat, thick socks, long underwear - whatever you need to do your job!
Equipment
- Stop watch
- Whistle
- Referee wallet with sample game cards
- Yellow and red cards
- Set of assistant referee flags
- Pencils, pens, coin for coin toss