NEW REFEREES

New referees should click on the Becoming a Referee page on the left to learn the registration procedures.  New referees will receive half of their training online and the balance in an eight hour class to become grade 8 referees.  Please read the entire section before starting your registration process.

REFEREE REGISTRATION

Ohio North has instituted online training in conjunction with the in-class training for all referees.  Re-certifying grade 8 and 9 referees must take their online training and the re-certification examination prior to taking the classroom portion. Read complete details on the Referee Registration page.  Please make sure that you follow the instructions for the new registration procedure.

SPONSORING A NEW REFEREE CLINIC

Clinics for new referees are hosted by various organizations such as leagues, local referee associations, tournaments, etc.  To request to host a new referee clinic the sponsor must provide a place to hold the clinic.  New referee clinics are eight hours duration and that may be done all in one day or over several days.  Sponsors assume all responsibility for the cost of the clinic including any fee for the facility and pay for the instructors.  Sponsors may charge participants up to $25.00 each to cover these costs.  Once you decide to host a clinic, go to the Forms and Publication page and download the sponsorship agreement.  When this is completed, contact the District Director of Instruction (DDI) for the district in which you live to verify that the dates are acceptable.  Links to the DDI's e-mail may be found on the Ohio North Districts page.  The DDI will assign instructors to the clinic and the District Referee Administrator will provide the books and ensure that the participants are properly registered.

NEW USSF POSITION PAPERS - JANUARY 2012

USSoccer has issued two new position papers on January 6, 2012.  Every Referee should read and become familiar with the information in these position papers.  They may be found on the Forms and Publication Page or by clicking on the links below.  There are also links to all USSF Position Papers and Directives on the Forms and Publication page.

Position Paper on Requirements for Injured Players.

Position Paper on Fourth Officials Standing or Sitting.

OFFICIATING OUTSIDE OHIO NORTH

Many officials like to travel to tournaments out of Ohio North.  The USSoccer Administrative guide requires that you notify the SRA whenever you are going to travel outside our "State."  (Remember that Ohio South that includes Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnatti are considered out of State.)  Whenever you travel, send an e-mail to Tom Chapman at sra@ohnrefs.org that contains your name, grade, where you will be officiating and the dates that you will be traveling.  If you live near the border of an adjacent state and regularly officiate there then just send an e-mail stating the league(s) and location where you will be officiating.

ASSIGNOR POLICY

The State Referee Committee approved the following policy at the April 13, 2010 meeting that applies to all assignors:

  
Assignors are registered through Ohio North and not through any district, league or local referee association.  Assignors must treat all registered officials equally.  An assignor cannot discriminate against a registered referee because of race, religion, national origin, sex or membership in a local referee association.  Age should only be a factor when the league mandates a minimum age difference between players and referees.   Assignors cannot give preference in their assignments of referees based on the referee’s membership in a local referee association.
All registered assignors will be given a listing of all referees registered in Ohio North.  Any assignor that implies or suggests, directly or indirectly, that membership in a referee association is a condition to getting an assignment is subject to discipline up to and including revocation of their assigning certification.
Per the Administrative handbook:  Referees being assigned must have a current year registration on file with U.S. Soccer before being assigned to any games by U.S. Soccer personnel

Unauthorized disclosure of a list of registered referees

State Referee Administrators may furnish lists of referees only to state associations, registered assignors, affiliated leagues or tournaments for conducting their soccer related activities. These lists may not be made available to anyone else (including soccer related businesses) for a fee or free of charge.  (2010 Administrative Handbook page 34.)

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