To Register and Become A Referee:

Register for a Grassroots Entry In-Person  course in the Learning Center and then attend a four (4) hour In-Person course ($90 Registration Fee).​ The minimum age to register for a course and become a referee is 13.

To view a list of currently available Entry Courses, click here. Scroll to the bottom of the page and switch to the next page to see the earliest available courses. New course locations are being added on a continual basis as local clubs request to host courses.  

In order to be certified and receive a badge at the end of your In-Person course, all of the following online assignments must be completed before the In-Person course:
·         Grassroots Online Course
·         2020 Intro to Safe & Healthy Playing Environments
·         2020 Grassroots Referee Certification Quiz
·         SafeSport Training (if 18 years of age or older)
If you do not complete the online assignments, you may still attend the class. Email Anne Wright once you have completed all assignments to be mailed a badge: awright@georgiasoccer.org

If you are 18 years of age or older, you must also complete these two (2) mandatory items:
·         US Soccer NCSI Online Background Check ($30) – valid for two (2) years
o    ​​Note: If you are 18 years of age or older, you will not be able to register for a course until the Background Check is completed.
·         SafeSport Online Training (Required by Federal Law) – valid for two (2) years
Completing these requirements will certify a Grassroots Referee through December 31st, 2020.

1. Create a Profile through the U.S. Soccer Referee Learning Center (LC).​
·         The unique account identifier is an email address. Parents may not use their lone email address to register multiple referees. Each referee needs their own email address. Parents may add a secondary email address to each account.
·         A known issue while creating an account in the LC is a browser timeout. If this occurs, the U.S. Soccer recommended steps are to clear your browser history, cache and cookies, close your browser and try again. If this doesn't solve the issue, try a different browser and/or device to create your account.

2. Complete the US Soccer NCSI Background Check (if 18 years of age or older)
·         Available inside the Learning Center
o    ​Click Courses, Available Courses and then Background Screening under Supplemental Courses on the left
·         Valid for two years per check
·         Mandatory for all referees 18 years of age or older

3. Register for an In-Person Grassroots Entry Course through the U.S. Soccer Referee Learning Center.
Register for a Grassroots Entry In-Person  course in the Learning Center, and then attend the four (4) hour In-Person course. ($90 registration fee)
·         ​Complete 100% of all assignments in the assignments tab before attending the In-Person Course
o    ​Grassroots Online Course
o    2020 Intro to Safe & Healthy Playing Environments
o    2020 Grassroots Referee Certification Quiz
o    SafeSport Training (if 18 years of age or older)
·         Here is a list of Available Grassroots In-Person Entry Courses, or:
o    In the LC, click Courses, Available Courses and then Grassroots First-Time Referees.
§  Use the Location drop down and select Georgia to find a course near you. 
o    ​Scroll to the bottom and go to the next page to see the earliest available courses.
·         New courses are continuously being added as local leagues and clubs request to host courses in their area.
·         The In-Person Course is a four (4) hour course.  The course is entirely outside and consists of field training sessions and group discussion.
4. Safe Sport Training (mandatory if 18 years of age or older)
·         Click Courses - Available Courses - SafeSport
·         Safe Sport is Federal Law passed by the United States Congress and is mandatory for anyone 18 years of age or older. You can read more about it here.
5. Download the IFAB Laws of the Game (LOTG).
·         The LOTG are available as an app on both Android and iOS.
o    ​Download on your devices and bring with you to class and to your games.​

Email Anne Wright (awright@georgiasoccer.org) for general questions about the Georgia Soccer Referee Program.
Email US Soccer (referee@ussoccer.org) for general questions about the Learning Center, issues creating your account, background checks, etc.

All of our referees, whether they officiate the Recreational, Academy, Select soccer programs, or Futsal, all must be certified through USSF (United States Soccer Federation). Referees must take, and pass, the entry level R9 referee course to be eligible for game selection by the DDYSC Referee Assignor.

DDYSC hosts a couple of courses a year, but does not administer them. All registrations and course information is handled by the Georgia Soccer referee department.

Advantages to becoming a USSF referee: 

• Earn money! Pay rate varies with age level of players.
• Work only when available. You are an independent contractor.
• Great professional history for a college application or resume.
• Develop skills to make decisions, execute planned actions under game conditions.
• Confidence building with experience gained handling complex situations. 
• Maturity gained by job duties - maintaining attire, being at job on time, and acting professional.
• Opportunity to advance to higher level challenges (Referee a College/Pro game).
• Experienced referees are in demand. And there is only one way to get there. Try it!

Saturday, January 25 - R8 - 2020 Grade 8 Entry Classroom Session. This class is designed for entry level referees. Class time is 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Must register for class HERE

Sunday, February 16 - R8 - 2020 Grade 8 Entry Classroom Session. This class is designed for entry level referees. Class time is 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm. Must register for class HERE