RI Referee Handbook

Revised: April 6, 2012

Section 1: Referee Administration
Section 2: Referee Registration
Section 3: Referee Upgrades
Section 4: Assignments
Section 5: Game Day Procedures
Section 6: Game Reports
Section 7: Match Assessments
Section 8: Disciplinary Actions and Appeal Process
Section 9: Travel Policy for Tournaments and Special Match Assignments
Section 10: Referee of the Year Awards

Section 1: Referee Administration

1. The duty of the Rhode Island State Referee Committee (SRC) is to administer the National Referee Development Program of the US Soccer Federation (USSF), and to improve the overall quality of soccer officiating in the state of Rhode Island.
2. The SRC By-Laws is the primary governance document of the SRC.  In the case of any conflict between this handbook and the By-Laws, the By-Laws will take precedence.
3. The SRC has jurisdiction over referees registered with USSF that designate Rhode Island as their state referee association.  Any administrative or disciplinary issue involving an out-of-state referee will be referred to that referee’s State Referee Administrator (SRA).  The SRC has the authority, subject to the terms of Section 7 in this handbook, to sanction referees by:
   • Issuing a written warning
   • Suspension pending completion of additional training at the referee’s expense
   • Suspension pending payment of a fine
   • Suspension for a fixed term
   • Dismissal from the Federation
4. Communications from the SRC to referees will primarily be done via email using the addresses on file with USSF.  If a referee’s email address changes, it is the referee’s responsibility to update their record with USSF, notify the SRC Secretary and their assignor(s), and update any online referee assigning systems that they use.

Section 2: Referee Registration

1. The USSF Referee Administrative Handbook gives complete details as to the qualifications and registrations of referees.  In the event of a conflict between the USSF Referee Administrative Handbook and the RISRC Referee Handbook, the more stringent requirement applies.
2. In order to be registered as a referee in Rhode Island at any grade, prospective referees must:
   • Maintain a legal residence in Rhode Island or intend to do their primary officiating in Soccer RI or RISA affiliated leagues.
   • Successfully pass the appropriate written examination.
   • Pay a registration fee.
3. Any person wishing to become a referee for the first time must successfully complete new referee training as specified by the State Director of Instruction.
4. In order to re-certify as a referee at any grade, the referee must complete 5 hours of in-service training, of which the annual recertification exam is counted as 1 hour of training.  In-service training includes formal training events administered by the SRC or other events which are designated as an in-service training opportunity by the SRC.
5. Local referee coordinators may conduct in-service training “in-house”, provided that the coordinator is a certified instructor and completion of the training is documented in GameOfficials in a manner directed by the SRC. Qualifying local coordinators who choose to pursue this option must notify the SRC so that a coordinator-managed virtual clinic can be established. Local coordinators who choose to exercise this option will be responsible for managing the virtual clinic and collecting and forwarding any registration fees not paid online.
6. Any certified instructor who is assigned to and conducts at least 4 hours of referee training in fulfillment of formal referee training events scheduled by the SRC is exempt from the annual in-service training requirement for that year, provided that the training conducted by the instructor is applicable to the instructor’s referee grade.
7. In addition, referees grade 7 and above must meet the following requirements during the prior calendar year:
   • Successfully pass the physical fitness test administered by the SRC or a Regional Training Seminar (RTS) organized by USSF.
   • Successfully pass an annual unannounced field assessment.  The assessment will be scheduled by the SDA.
   • Officiate at least 10 affiliated matches that are sanctioned either by Soccer RI or RISA, or are played within the boundaries of Rhode Island, at least 5 of which are as a referee, at the following level:
     • Grade 7: Under-17 or higher, to include affiliated leagues with a “high school” division
     • Grade 6: Under-19 or higher
     • Grade 5: Adult amateur or higher
8. A State Referee that fails the state referee exam but scores within 10 points of passing on their best attempt, and otherwise meets the requirements for registration as a State Referee Grade 6, may choose to register as a Referee Grade 7.
9. A referee may register as a State Referee Emeritus provided the following requirements are met:
   • In three (3) prior registration years, the referee was registered as a State Referee grade 6 or higher. The three registration years need not be contiguous.
   • A minimum score of 70 on the State Referee Exam.
   • Payment of the annual registration fee.
10. The SRC may grant exceptions to the requirements in 2.7 on an individual basis in the case of extenuating circumstances
11. A referee that fails the referee exam, but scores within 10 points of a passing grade and otherwise meets the requirements for registration as a referee grade 8 may choose to register as a recreational referee grade 9 rather than retake the test.
12. Any referee who fails to meet any requirement in this section may choose either to:
    • Delay registration until such time as the requirements are met; or
    • Register at the highest grade for which all requirements are satisfied.
13. Any referee may choose to register at a grade lower than the one he/she qualifies for.
14. The SRC may deny registration to any person who is not in good standing with RISRC or with USSF.
15. The online pre-payment fee for new referees includes the cost of a referee uniform, which includes 2 jerseys, shorts, and socks.
16. The purchase of a uniform from the SRC at the time of registration is optional.
17. Registration Fees are as follows (as of registration for the 2013 season):
    
    For new referees:

    	Grade 9	Grade 8
    Registration	$55	$70
    Uniform	$60	$60
    Total	$115	$130

    For re-certifying referees:

    	Grade 9	Grade 8	Grade 7	Grade 6+	Emeritus
    Registration	$50	$50	$55	$85	$85
    Assessment			$50	$65
    Total	$50	$50	$105	$150	$85

18. A late fee of $10 will be assessed on all registration activity after December 31.

Section 3: Referee Upgrades

1. Recreational Referees grade 9 may upgrade to grade 8 following successful completion of grade 8 new referee training.
2. Referees grade 8 and 7; and State Referees grade 6 who wish to upgrade to the next higher grade, and who are eligible for upgrade based on age and time in grade, must notify the SRA of their intent to upgrade, and provide documentation showing completion of the required minimum lifetime game experience as documented in a game log which includes at a minimum, date and location of the match, league, and age division.
3. Upon receipt of the referee’s intent to upgrade, the SRA will notify the referee no later than 7 days following the next monthly SRC meeting whether the intent to upgrade was accepted.  If the upgrade request was accepted, a surprise assessment will be scheduled within 60 days provided the referee receives an assignment of sufficient difficulty.  If the upgrade request was not accepted, the referee will be notified of which requirements have not been met.
4. Once the referee has successfully passed their assessment(s), the upgrade will be approved when the following additional requirements have been met within the prior year:
   • Attendance at an upgrade clinic
   • Successful completion of the fitness test, with scores that qualify for the grade being sought
5. A referee who fails an upgrade assessment may request an additional upgrade assessment which, if passed, will qualify for upgrade.  If a referee fails two attempts at an upgrade assessment, upgrade will be denied and may be re-attempted in the following registration year.
6. Grade 7 referees seeking upgrade to State Referee grade 6 are permitted to count the following matches towards the 100 (referee) and 25 (AR) game requirement:
   • Any U-18 or higher affiliated match which is 90 minutes in duration using either a 3-man system, a one-man system, or a 3-man system in which one or both ARs have been replaced by club linesmen.
   • RISA or SRI sanctioned U-18 or higher matches of any duration, provided they are league (non-tournament) matches, such as the Ocean State Summer Cup U-23 division.
7. Grade 6 referees who wish to upgrade to Grade 5 must complete one of their required Referee assessments (not the AR assessment) in a state outside of Rhode Island. The SRC will facilitate the out-of-state assignment and the assessment.
8. Upgrades to grades above Grade 5 are handled by USSF directly, and will be facilitated by the SRA.

Section 4: Assignments

1. Referees will receive match assignments by various methods of communication; the referee must accept or decline the assignment in a timely manner as determined by each assignor.
2. Failure to accept an assignment in a timely manner may result in removal from the assignment.
3. Failure to appear at an accepted assignment may result in disciplinary actions described in Section 8.
4. It is the responsibility of each referee to inform their assignor(s) of their availability to officiate matches, which includes updating their availability on all assigning websites. It is the intent of assignors to only assign referees to matches at times in which they are available. Referees are given priority of assignment based on grade; in general, higher-level assignments are given to referees of a higher grade. Assignors may choose to reduce the number of assignments given to referees who frequently decline assignments for reasons other than conflicts with other assignments.
5. Each referee is expected to keep all assignments that are accepted.  However, there are certain occasions when a referee has previously accepted an assignment and receives a higher priority assignment which takes precedence as described in the Referee Administrative Handbook.  The referee must contact the assignor of the lower-priority match to be released from that assignment.  In accordance this this policy, when assigned at least 48 hours in advance, State Cup Competitions have precedence over any other match within the state.
6. For in-state assignments, received at least 72 hours before the match, a referee is encouraged to contact his/her original assignor in order to be released if assigned to a higher-level match.  Assignors, in order to further referee development are highly encouraged to release that referee without prejudice.
7. In the event that circumstances beyond the official’s control cause the referee to miss an assignment, the official must contact the match assignor as soon as possible.

Section 5: Game Day Procedures

1. All members of the referee team are expected to be at the field at the time prescribed by the rules of competition, at the time set by the referee or, if no time is prescribed, at least 30 minutes prior to kick off. The referee should contact the assistants to establish a time and place to meet.  All members of the referee team should enter the field area together. You should meet in a prescribed area if possible and then walk to the field together and introduce yourselves to the coaches of both teams.  Please wait for your partners before entering the field.
2. In the event that circumstances beyond the official’s control prevent timely arrival at the field, the official should attempt to contact the other match officials or the match assignor as soon as possible.
3. Match officials must be properly uniformed and dressed in matching uniform colors and sleeve length. The match Referee determines which uniform the team of officials shall wear.  If there is a conflict in colors between the teams and the game officials, it is the responsibility of the referee team to choose a non-conflicting alternate color.  In the event the referee team does not possess 3 matching and non-conflicting jerseys, a mix of sleeve lengths is permitted.  The use of matching pinnies is permitted for the assistant referees (ARs).  As a last resort, a referee may wear a pinnie so as not to conflict with the teams.  Match officials do not need to have matching styles of uniform, so long as the colors match, unless otherwise specified by the rules of competition.
4. The referee team is required to inspect the field, including the goals, corner flags and lines, to ensure that the field is playable and the equipment is safe.  If the Referee decides that the field or playing conditions are not suitable for playing the match, or are not compliant with rules of play or are unsafe for competition, the match shall not be played, and the referee shall note this in the Match Report.  Each official for that match shall receive the lesser of $25 or the game fee for travel expenses.
5. The referee is responsible for conducting a pre-game conference between match officials to convey instructions and expectations to the ARs and if applicable, the fourth official.
6. If a full complement of officials is not present at the scheduled starting time of the match, the match may be played with volunteers. These volunteers shall be considered club assistants, responsible for signaling that the ball has gone out of play and nothing else. The volunteers shall receive no compensation, unless stated otherwise by the league’s rules. The fees for the absent officials shall be evenly divided and returned to the teams. The referee shall note the absence of officials and return of fees in the Match Report.  Under no circumstances may referees officiate a match using a two-man system in which both officials use whistles.
7. If one or both teams cannot field enough players within the league’s grace period, or 15 minutes if no grace period is provided, the match shall not be played, and the referee shall note this in the match report. The officials for that match shall be entitled to a full match fee.  If not paid at the field, the referee will submit a request to the SRC for payment.
8. If a match is terminated due to inclement weather, insufficient number of players, or abandonment, the officials must be entitled to a full match fee. The referee shall note the exact circumstances which caused the match to be terminated in the match report and shall inform the appropriate authority.
9. If all referees are assigned to the wrong field or time for the match, they will be paid the lesser of $25 or the game fee for travel expenses. The fee will be paid by either the league or the SRC, dependent upon where the error occurred.
10. If a full complement of officials is not present at the scheduled starting time of the match, the match may be played with volunteers. These volunteers shall be considered Club Assistants, responsible for signaling that the ball has gone out of play and nothing else. The volunteers shall receive no compensation, unless stated otherwise by the league’s rules. The fees for the absent officials shall be evenly divided and returned to the teams. The Referee shall note the absence of officials and return of fees in the Match Report.
11. If a referee is assaulted during a match, the referee must follow the guidelines in the USSF Referee Administrative Handbook so that administrative and enforcement agencies can properly do their job. A copy of the USSF Referee Report can be downloaded from the SRC web site. Referees are expected to make copies of this report for their own use. In the event of a referee assault, a fully executed original or duplicate original of this report must be submitted immediately after the match to the appropriate league president, the SRA, and the governing body of the match.  In addition, a call should be placed immediately after the match to the SRA advising him/her of the assault.

Section 6: Game Reports

1. Referees are required to fully complete all game reports, and to submit them to the proper authority within 24 hours of the end of the match.  It is the referee’s responsibility to be aware of the reporting requirements for the matches being officiated; referees must comply with any additional reporting requirements mandated by the league.
2. Failure to properly submit a game report shall subject the referee to the disciplinary actions described in Section 8.
3. For any leagues which do not currently specify a game report, a copy of the USSF Referee Game Report can be downloaded from the SRC web site.  This report should be accompanied by the appropriate rosters and submitted to the governing body of the league within 24 hours.

Section 7: Match Assessments

1. All referees grade 7 and above are subject to an annual unannounced field assessment.  In the event that the match is deemed insufficiently difficult by the assessor, an additional unannounced assessment may be conducted with the cost paid for by the SRC.
2. If a referee fails a maintenance assessment, they will be automatically downgraded by one grade.
3. A referee who fails a maintenance assessment may, at their own expense and paid for in advance, request one additional unannounced maintenance assessment, scheduled by the SDA.  If the referee passes their second maintenance assessment attempt, they will be restored to their previous grade.  If no suitable assessment opportunity occurs before the end of the calendar year, the assessment fee will be returned.
4. If a referee fails two attempts at a maintenance assessment, the referee may attempt to upgrade to their prior grade no earlier than the following registration year.
5. A referee who fulfills the annual game count requirements in Section 2 will not be penalized in the event that a maintenance assessment of sufficient difficulty is not completed.
6. The assessor must provide a copy of the assessment to the match officials within one week of the match.
7. An Assessor assigned to perform an assessment shall be paid $25 for travel expenses if a match is not played due to insufficient players or unplayable pitch conditions, or if the assessor (and referees) are sent to the wrong field or have the wrong time for the match.

Section 8: Disciplinary Actions and Appeal Process

1. Any complaint of wrongdoing on the part of a referee, administrator, assessor, instructor, or assignor will be handled in accordance with USSF policy 531-10.
2. Any complaint of wrongdoing on the part of a player, coach, team official, or spectator, shall be reported to the SRA, who will forward the complaint to the president of the association that sanctions the league or tournament in which the alleged misconduct occurred, or, if the incident occurred out of state, to that state’s SRA.

Section 9: Travel Policy for Tournaments and Special Match Assignments

1. For the purposes of consistency, and due to the small geographical size of Rhode Island, officials will not be compensated for travel to league or tournament matches under the jurisdiction of RISA or Soccer RI, even when those matches are held outside of Rhode Island.
2. The SRC encourages officials to seek challenging out-of-state developmental tournament and special match assignments.  In order to provide these opportunities to motivated officials, the SRC will reserve a limited amount of funds to reimburse officials for travel expenses incurred, subject to the terms in this section.
3. The official must notify the Treasurer as soon as the details of the event are known.  The Treasurer will prepare a cost estimate for the trip and forward it to the SRA and the official.  The following costs may be authorized:
   • Transportation to and from the venue, using the most cost-effective carrier.  If travel is by air, the cost of one piece of checked luggage may be authorized.
   • For each full day of the trip, a per diem payment is authorized to cover the cost of meals, which is calculated as 75% of the General Services Administration (GSA) Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) rate for the location of the match(es).  For the first and last day of the trip, 40% of the GSA rate is authorized.  If meals are provided, the per diem payment will be reduced by 50% for dinner, 35% for lunch and 15% for breakfast for that day.
   • Lodging costs, calculated at 100% of the GSA per diem lodging rate for the location of the match(es).
   • If not provided by venue, local transportation using a rental car or public transportation.  If more than one official is travelling to the same event, local transportation must be shared.
4. The SRA will approve or decline the request, and may choose to authorize a lesser amount.  The SRA will notify the official of the breakdown of expenses that will be paid for by the SRC.  If the request is declined or is approved for a lesser amount than requested, the official may appeal the decision at the next monthly meeting of the SRC, which will be decided by a vote of the SRC.  The SRA or SRC may elect to deduct from expense reimbursement an amount up to the sum total of all referee fees received.
5. Officials will be responsible for making their own travel arrangements.
6. Within 30 days of the completion of the trip, the official will provide receipts for all transportation and lodging expenses incurred to the Treasurer, who will reimburse the official for all approved expenses.  Receipts do not need to be provided for meal expenses.
7. While officiating out of state, referees are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct to reflect positively on the Rhode Island referee community.
8. Officials will notify the SRA of out-of-state match assignments, even when travel expenses are not paid by the SRC.  Officials need not notify the SRA of assignments to leagues which normally conduct matches in Rhode Island, even when the match in question is outside of the state (for example: RISL Over 30, MAPLE, or MASC).

Section 10: Referee of the Year Awards

1. RISA and SRI will present Referee of the Year awards on an annual basis in various categories.   The criteria used to determine the winners of these awards shall be determined by the SRC.
2. Anyone wishing to nominate an individual for one of these awards should contact the SRA or SYRA or via the SRC website.
3. Members of the SRC are ineligible to receive a Referee of the Year award.