Question Number: 16544

Law 5 - The Referee 9/4/2007

RE: College

Todd of Lincoln, IL USA asks...

I am interested in becoming a college official but have no clue where to start. Do I need to be certified by a youth organization first? I played college soccer and coached women's juco in Illinois but can't seem to find the best first step.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Todd you should start at U-10's and work up to a High School cross town rivalry that usually winds up in a bench clearing brawl. When you can do that without a problem get hold of NISOA and find out how to join. Then cound on running lines for a few years until they get to know you.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The first thing to rememebr is that the NCAA does not require the use of a NISOA (National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association) referee in order to referee any college matches. All they require is a person is assigned to referee a match by a conference assingor. That said 99.9% of the match assignments go through NISOA chapters and NISOA certfied referees make up this body of people.

In order to join a college chapter you'll need to find out their membership requirements. Each one is a little different.

There are a few NISOA standards that must be met first for ALL chapters:

1. HS or USSF experience. The level of which can be set by the local chapter. Where I am you must have either had 3 years of HS varsity experience at a minimum OR you must be a state referee (grade 6) or better (no time in grade required, just holding the grade is enough).

2. Written Reccomendations. This consists of 2 reccomendations from chapter members (other refs) and 1 from a college coach or a NISOA national assessor. (3 letters total)

3. Assessments. My chapter requires 2 middles at the Men's Open Amateur level (with AR's) or at the U-20 age group. They also require 1 line.

If you complete all of those things, you'll become a probationary member. Most places that means doing lines. Where I live, our probationary officials must pass 1 middle and line on each gender (4 games) in the first 2 seasons in order to get off of probation.

I hope this helps. Remeber check with your local chapter. Though, as you can see it is going to take you a while before you will have enough experience to join a college unit. Coaching and playing experience is great and could "fast track" you but the minimum requirements are there for a reason - that is playing is different from coaching which are both different that refereeing.