Referee Training
Training is required to volunteer as a referee in AYSO, but almost all of them are good forever once you take the class, including the referee-specific certifications.
All referees must register as a volunteer with AYSO Region 1315 and complete the training listed below.
Required Training
- U-8 Official* OR Regional Referee Companion Course*^ OR Regional Referee Full In-Person Course+
- Safe Haven*
- CDC Concussion Training*
- Sudden Cardiac Arrest*
- SafeSport+
* Available online at AYSOU under "Training Library"
^ Registration for courses available online at AYSOU under "Training Event"
+ Available online through U.S. Center for SafeSport and required for renewal every year
Upcoming Training Classes
The training classes listed below are required for a Regional Referee certification, which allows you to volunteer as a Referee or Assistant Referee in 10U, 12U, and 16U games.
- August 25, 2025 @ 6:00pm – 7:30pm: Regional Referee Companion Course (requires online portion to be completed before attending)
- September 6, 2025 @ 9:00am – 3:00pm: Regional Referee Full In-Person Course
- September 10, 2025 @ 6:00pm – 7:30pm: Regional Referee Companion Course (requires online portion to be completed before attending)
- September 24, 2025 @ 6:00pm – 7:30pm: Regional Referee Companion Course (requires online portion to be completed before attending)
Companion Course or Full In-Person?
How should you decide between taking the Companion Course or the Full In-Person Course? That all depends on your availability and your ultimate goals for volunteering as a referee. The Companion Course consists of an online portion that takes roughly 2 hours that can be done at your convenience, and then a separate in-person portion that's 90 minutes long. The Full In-Person course is entirely in person and involves much more discussion and opportunities to learn.
If your goal in volunteering as a referee is simply to earn points for one of our teams (it's how pretty much all of us started), then the Companion Course is perfectly fine. Also if it's easier or more convenient for you to do part of the training from the comfort of your own home or on your own schedule, then the Companion Course is great!
If you want to be the absolute best referee you can be, then nothing beats the opportunity to learn that the Full In-Person course provides.
Contact the Regional Referee Administrator at [email protected] with any questions.