For Grade 9 “blue badge” Recreational Referees, upgrading to Grade 8 “black badge” Referee will open the door to competitive youth assignments at the U14 level and higher. Please see the article Grade 8 vs Grade 9 for a full description of the differences.
There are two ways to upgrade from Grade 9 to Grade 8, and both options are equivalent in terms of cost and time:
Bridge Clinic (Preferred)
Grade 9 Referee should recertify in the fall at an on-field recertification clinic, and attend a Grade 8 “Bridge” class, which is typically offered in the Spring. This is the best option, and the training will be appropriate for a referee that already has some on-field experience.
New Referee Clinic
As an alternate option, Grade 9 referees may complete the Grade 8 New Referee training course, which includes 2 hours of online training and 6 hours of classroom training.
