There are a number of reasons to upgrade to a referee grade beyond the basic Grade 8 certification. Higher-grade referees receive priority in assignment and the respect of their colleagues. Youth assignments at the U18 level and above as center referee are generally given to Grade 7 referees, and the top adult assignments are generally given to State Referees. Upgrading also increases the likelihood of being invited to prestigious regional or national tournaments. High-grade referees are often invited to become mentors, instructors, and assessors. State Referees with at least 3 years of certification earn the right to wear the State Referee Emeritus badge when they retire from refereeing at that level.
Upgrades beyond grade 8 represent a serious commitment to refereeing, and as such there are a number of requirements to meet as described below.
Upgrades to State Referee (Grade 6/5) are managed by the SRA <sra@risrc.net>
Upgrades to Referee Grade 7 are managed by the SYRA <syra@risrc.net>
Step 1: Lifetime Game Experience
In order to be eligible for an upgrade, you must submit a lifetime game log that lists all of your qualifying games. This should include, at a minimum, the match date, league, and whether you were referee or assistant referee. Submit this log to sra@risrc.net. Note that only USSF-affiliated matches count. You may begin the upgrade process if your game count is slightly less than the requirements below, however, it is at your own risk to meet the game count requirements within the one-year window. The minimum LIFETIME game count requirements are as follows:
Referee Grade 7:
Game Level: Any USSF-affiliated match
Referee: 75
Assistant Referee: 25
Minimum Age: 17
State Referee Grade 6:
Game Level: U-18+ (3-man system or 1-man system)
Referee: 100
Assistant Referee: 25
Minimum Age: 18
State Referee Grade 5:
Game Level: U-18+ (3-man system or 1-man system)
Referee: 150 (50 must be Div 1 or higher, such as Super Cup)
Assistant Referee: 50
Minimum Age: 19
Step 2: Register for the Upgrade Clinic
Once your game log has been reviewed, you will be given a code to register for the upgrade clinic in GameOfficials. The system will prompt you for payment; payment may be made online or via check at the clinic. The fees include a course fee of $20, and the difference in registration and assessment fees.
Fee Structure:
Upgrade to Grade 7:
Course Fee: $20
Registration difference: $5
Assessments (1): $50
TOTAL: $75
Upgrade to Grade 6:
Course Fee: $20
Registration difference: $30
Assessments (3): $145
TOTAL: $195
Upgrade to Grade 5:
Course Fee: $20
Registration difference: $0
Assessments (3): $130
TOTAL: $150
Step 3: Pass the State Referee Exam
The State Referee exam is available online as part of the upgrade clinic online session in GameOfficials. Use the “Launch Session Tracker” button to take the exam. The minimum score is 75% for Grade 6 and 80% for Grade 5. If you are upgrading from 8 to 7 or 6 to 5, and you have already passed your recertification exam with a score of 85% or better, you do not need to re-take the exam. The State Referee Exam in particular is very difficult and covers many esoteric and unusual game situations. As with all other exams offered, the test is open-book without time limits, and we expect that a considerable amount of time will need to be invested in order to pass the exam, even for very experienced referees. One re-try is allowed; referees that fail on the second attempt may not upgrade until the following year.
Step 4: Attend the Upgrade Clinic
The 2012 Upgrade clinic will be held at the Soccer RI Expo from 9am-noon, and will feature a national-level/professional instructor.
Step 5: Complete your required assessments
Three assessments will scheduled by the SRA and SDA – two as referee and one as assistant referee. In most cases, the assessment will be unannounced. In order to facilitate these assessments, it is important that you maintain your availablility. It is our intent only to assign you at dates and times that you are availble. Referees that have significant restrictions on their availability or repeatedly decline assignments may find that they are not able to complete their assessments on time.
Step 6: Training Requirements
In addition to completion of the upgrade clinic, candidates for Grade 6 must complete an additional 16 hours of training, and candidates for Grade 5 must complete an additional 4 hours of training. Training should be completed at the Thursday-night monthly seminar series.
Step 7: Pass the fitness test
A no-cost fitness test is offered twice a year, in the fall and spring. The minimum fitness requirements are higher for State Referees than for Grade 7 Referees and differ by age. Please refer to the Referee Administrative Handbook for specific details.
