"The best seat in the house."

TL;DR: register and learn how to referee  here.  Reach out to [email protected] once you're done, or if you get stuck.

Make sure you register

For those who are planning to help in Fall 2023, register in Region 45’s SportsConnect (even if you won’t have a kid active in the program).  Instructions for that are here (reuse your existing stack account if you have one).

Special instructions if you…

… have no idea where to start!

Follow the instructions here.  Still stuck?  Email us.

… forgot everything

There’s a refresher session where we’ll remind everyone of everything they forgot.  It’s currently scheduled for Thursday, August 24 · 7:00 – 9:00pm PDT (Video call link: https://meet.google.com/frx-vbyr-yje)

… haven’t taken SafeSport in a while and it’s expired

There’s a new, lighter, refresh version of SafeSport!  The one you're looking for is "Refresher 1: Recognizing and Reporting Misconduct - U.S.".

… are moving up from U8 to U10+

You’ll need to upgrade your badge accordingly, from “Basic / U8” to “Regional”.  We use a “build out line” and offside, and it’s important to call them correctly.  Instructions on how to get your U10+ Regional badge can be found here.  Some field classes are already on the schedule.

… are looking to get more referee training to better officiate even higher level (U12+) matches

You can referee U12+ with the Regional badge, but to call these games fairly, getting a bit of additional training and mentorship doesn’t hurt.  Let us know and we’ll see what we can get scheduled.  There is also the Section 2 Golden Gate Camp running each summer where you can pick up most courses.

… have holes in your socks

Let us know what referee kit you need and we’ll try to get you hooked up.

… aren’t sure how to sign up for games.

The current plan is to use Arbiter again.  If you don’t have an Arbiter account, there’s a place where you can let us know that, too.

… know of a parent who would be a great referee (or aren’t sure why you received this email but want to help out)

Onboarding instructions are here.  If they get stuck, have them email [email protected].

... youth referee opportunities and information:

1. Creating a Youth Volunteer Account is the process for the parent to get the youth referee registered in SportsConnect
   
2. 2024 Referee Registration (New and returning referees start here!) describes how referees get certified with a few exceptions for youth referees.
   
3. James Kunz, [email protected], is the referee instructor for the region.  Contact James about referee training
   
4. This 2023 Youth Referee Manual in the AYSO Wiki Referee Info gives a nice overview of what to expect as a youth referee