Referees are an important part of soccer. LYSA referees are all volunteers, just like the coaches, administrators, field workers, and everyone else who makes LYSA work. Most referees are parents or relatives of the players, and some youth referees are even players themselves. Referees range in experience from beginner to very experienced, and all referees are offered plenty of opportunities for training within our region. Volunteers generally referee between one game every other week to several games each Saturday.
Referees play a vital role in keeping the games Safe, Fair and Fun - which is what LYSA is all about:
Safe: The Referee's #1 job is to keep the game as safe as possible for the players. While there is risk in all sports, the referee is responsible for minimizing such risks from field conditions, equipment, spectators, and the players.
Fair: The Referee is responsible for enforcing the Laws of the Game in such a way as to keep the game Safe, Fair & Fun. He interferes with the game as little as possible, avoiding making calls for doubtful and trifling offenses. Referees only make calls for offenses they are sure occurred.
Fun: We want our kids to continue to play, and they will keep playing as long as it is fun. Referees learn that fun soccer varies from age group to age group of players.
As an all volunteer organization, all teams are responsible for providing a volunteer coach and a volunteer referee. This is true for all age divisions. We attempt to provide referees for the older divisions on a scheduled basis when they are available. Referees that do not have children in the program are provided with a small stipend for their time. We do not “guarantee” that all games will have a scheduled referee. Even when we have a scheduled referee for a game, we have no way to ensure that an individual will actually show and make no accommodations to have auxiliary referees at the ready to fill in. We assume that teams have recruited a volunteer dedicated to their respective teams. We offer an extensive training program and train new referees every season. Please see the calendar for specific dates and times here.
If you have more referee questions, visit our Ref FAQ page.
Register with LYSA
All LYSA volunteers, including all referees, must log onto laneyouthsoccer.sportssignup.com and follow the instructions to register as a volunteer and to complete background check.
Additional Resources
- Game Schedules
- Adapted Soccer Laws Spring 2025 (PDF)
- Important Dates Spring 2025 (PDF)
- Laws of the Game Made Easy (PDF)
- FIFA Laws of the Game (PDF)
- Referee Game Report (PDF)
- Incident Report Form (PDF)