Referees
*REFEREE COURSES
lease note the following information for referee courses in 2021.
Entry Level courses can be requested in the Fall months if you need new referees to support your programs.
We are following the same format as we did in the spring/summer months of 2021. Pre-course modules, online webinar, online exam, practical field session. The course must be requested 21 days prior to your field session so that participants have sufficient time to complete all steps.
When the requested is submitted in Refcentre, book 2 sessions with the date and time of your practical session. This should only be done after you have confirmed the venue for the practical session, in particular if it is something that you need to book with a third party. Alberta Soccer will adjust the webinar date and time, based on instructor and online platform availability.
There are still two payment options:
- We are now offering two payment models for course student registration. ‘Student pays host’ (you, same as before)’ or ‘Student pays Alberta Soccer’ (new). Details of how this works are on the slides.
- If you choose the ‘Student Pays Alberta Soccer’ payment model, all students will be charged $100 online during the registration process. They will be automatically approved upon payment. This will basically be first come, first served. The single price point is required by the online payment system.
- If you wish to have the students pay Alberta Soccer, but still have some control over who registers, you could make the course ‘private’ and provide the code only to the people you want. This would however mean that you might exclude some people in your area who wish to become referees, but don’t contact you for the code. Once they have the code, they would be automatically approved upon payment.
- If you choose ‘Student Pays Host’, you will have full control over who you approve, based on payment received etc.
- Any courses where the student pays the host, will be invoiced to the district at $100 (inc. GST) per student irrespective of the student’s age. This is a reduced price for 2021, as the referee registration portion is lower (50%) in 2021. We ask that you take this reduction into consideration when setting the price that you will charge students.
Indoor Refresher (Boarded) – will be offered online by Alberta Soccer in the same format as we had for outdoor refresher. The first refreshers will be offered on September 15th and 16th, with two per week until demand drops off. Districts do not have to arrange anything for these other than reminding your referees that they need to take one to referee boarded soccer. Alberta Soccer will also be reminding referees of this requirement.
Indoor Conversion (Boarded) – will be offered as online pre-course modules, 2.5 hour online webinar and a 1 hour field session, preferably on an indoor boarded field. These courses will be requested by individual districts, so that they coordinate with field sessions. To ensure instructor and online resource availability, they should be requested no less than 10 days in advance of the field session. If you are planning to host an Entry Level course, the conversion field session should be scheduled at least two weeks after the Entry Level field session. This is to allow people time to complete the online and webinar portion.
Futsal Conversion – to be determined.
Futsal Refresher – to be determined.
REFEREE COURSES
The outdoor soccer season is just around the corner so if you are interested in becoming a referee, please register for these FREE courses at www.refcentre.com/alberta.
Make sure you sign up soon, as spots fill up quickly.
Please see the poster below for details.
How to Sign Up to become a Referee
Step 1 – Search for a course
- Go to – www.refcentre.com/alberta
- Enter a range of dates to search – Spring Courses start in March and continue to early May.
- Fall courses are offered based on demand, between September and November. Note – for 2021, courses will probably continue to run into the summer months depending on demand.
- Click the ‘Search’ button
Step 2 – Select an appropriate course
- Look for a ‘Mini’ or ‘Entry Level’ course that works for you.
- If a course is ‘Full’, spaces may open up if a student cancels, so check back later.
- If the course is ‘pending’, it will become available for registering once it has been approved by the district and the province – please check back in a couple of days.
- Click the ‘Register’ link.
- Note – Hosts are just starting to submit requests for Spring courses so if you don’t see anything at the moment that works for you, check back over the next month or so as more options will become available.
Step 3 – Complete the profile information
- Check the course details, to ensure that you have selected the course you wanted.
- Enter ALL information for the student who will be taking the course.
- Create a password for Refcentre – note, the user name will be your email address and the password must be unique for Refcentre. If you already have an account using the same email address (Mini account, another referee in the family etc.), you MUST use a different password at this time.
- Keep a note of passwords for future reference, but they can also be retrieved by using the ‘Forgot Password’ link next to the Log In boxes.
- Use a ‘home’ email address if possible, as your business email address may change at some point, and we will not be able to contact you if this happens.
Step 4 – Approval for Course and Pre-course Work
- Your application for the course will be approved by the host of the course once they have confirmed your status – payment etc. You will receive an email to the address that was used to register.
- For a Mini course, there is no pre-course work, so once approved – you are ready to attend the course.
- For an Entry Level course – there is a series online modules to complete. See Step 5 for how to access this.
- If you have any questions about your course, please contact the course host, who is listed on your main course page. See Step 5 for how to access this.
Step 5 – Logging back In for pre-course work, confirming course status etc.
- Once you are accepted into a course, you can log in at – www.refcentre.com/alberta – to complete any pre-course work and view details of your webinar and practical sessions etc.
- Enter the email and password combination that you had previously chosen – into the log in box as shown. There is a ‘forgot password’ link there if you need it.
- Once you have been graduated after the course, you will receive an email from Refcentre asking you to log in and complete a couple of final steps in the graduation process.
Mini Courses
A one-day introductory course for people 12 years and older (on or before May 15th), who would like to referee U9 and younger only. As of 2020, all Mini Referee Courses include AR training.
- Referee duties and responsibilities
- The Rules of Mini Soccer
- Onfield practical training
- Basic Offside
- Assistant Referee Calls and Signals
Students are supplied with – 7 v 7 Rules of Mini Soccer, referee badge and whistle.
Note – All Mini courses are currently postponed until COVID 19 restrictions are lifted. Please check back later.
Mini Courses run in the spring, in preparation for the outdoor season, but occasionally are run at other times of the year.
Entry Level Referee Courses
A 14 hour, introductory course for people 14 years or older (on or before May 15th), who would like to referee U11, 8v8, U13 and older 11v11, or act as an assistant referee (linesman) at any level. Note – for 2021 the course is made up of – online modules, webinar instruction, online exam and finally a practical training session. Details are available in Refcentre as you go through the registration process.
The course covers:
- Referee and Assistant Referee duties and responsibilities
- The FIFA Laws of the Game (11v11 soccer)
- U11 8v8 Rules of the Game
- Onfield practical training
Students are supplied with:
- FIFA Law Book
- U11 8v8 Rule Book
- Referee badge and whistle
- Yellow and red cards, referee wallet
Note – some districts or clubs supply additional items, such as referee uniforms, assistant flags etc.
After successfully completing the course, referees are classified as follows:
- 14 and 15 years old = Youth Referee
- 16 years and older = District Referee
Search for an Entry Level Course
Note – March 1st, 2021 update. Entry Level courses for 2021 will be posted in Refcentre when they are requested by districts and clubs. If nothing is available in your area, please check back later.
Entry Level courses usually run in the spring, in preparation for the outdoor season, but occasionally are run at other times of the year. If you want to officiate indoor soccer, you must take an Entry Level course as a prerequisite before taking a Conversion course to obtain the required certification.
Questions and Answers
Why do I have to register as a referee?
• Referee registration is a requirement of the Canadian Soccer Association
• Registration provides referees with insurance – Commercial General Liability, Sport Accident and Excess Travel Insurance protection.
• Registration allows Alberta Soccer to have your most up to date contact information.
What are the benefits of registering?
• The opportunity to officiate in affiliated soccer. Note – assignors will only use registered officials.
• The opportunity to represent their club, district and region at provincial levels;
• An annual refresher course.
• The opportunity to be identified for upgrading,
• Ability to display the Canadian Soccer Association badge (issued upon successful completion of Entry Level Clinic).
• FIFA “Laws of the Game” provided free each year
• More opportunities to receive mentoring and district assessments.
• Insurance coverage.
How do I re-register as a referee?
• All referees must re-register annually (due by March 31st) – note, the registration process opens on the first business day of February each year. Registrations entered after March 31st will be subject to a late fee.
• Log in to your referee account at – www.refcentre.com
• Follow the steps to register.
• Pay your registration fees to Alberta Soccer by one of the methods offered.
• Note – Mini referees do not have to pay, but must still complete the ‘registration’ step.
• Complete the online refresher questionnaire. (not required for Mini referees)
• Sign up for and attend a refresher course. (not required for Mini referees)
Why do I need to take a refresher course twice a year?
• Refresher courses help with the transition between indoor and outdoor seasons.
• Updated copies of Laws of the Game and Rules of Indoor Soccer are distributed at refresher courses.
• Law and Rule changes will be reviewed.
• Referees are guided with regard to common concerns in the soccer community
• Referees get a chance to meet other referees and learn from each other.
I have been away from refereeing for a number of years. How do I get back in?
If you have not registered as a referee for two full seasons, you will need to take an Entry Level course to return. The only exception to this is for referees with more than 5 years’ experience, who have been away for 5 years or less, who may challenge the current Entry Level exam with approval from the Referee Development Committee.
If you have a question you’d like answered that does not appear in the FAQ – please send an email
Please click the link below for Misconduct Report Forms.
Referee Mentor Forms
Outdoor Referee Mentor Evaluation Form
Click here for the Outdoor Referee Mentor Evaluation Form.
Policies
Lightning Safety on the Soccer Field
If you are unsure of the level of referee that you are, please review the document below
Alberta Soccer Referee Program
Please see the link below from ASA in regards to the Referee Program.
MHSDRA Information
Take this link to get information on the Medicine Hat Soccer District Referee Association (MHSDRA).
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