Instructional Links

Below is an excellent list of Referee Instructional links compiled by Iowa SDI Chip Walaska:


The Resource Center is designed to support the referee community by providing access to the most up-to-date information about the U.S. Soccer Federation Referee Program.


Iowa Soccer is a non-profit organization whose membership is comprised of over 90 affiliate organizations, 35,000 youth and adult players and 4,000 coaches. Through a variety of programming, benefits and services, Iowa Soccer’s staff and Board aims to live its mission. Iowa Soccer is a member of the United States Soccer Federation (US Soccer), United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) and United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA).


US Referee Connection was created by a Referee for all fellow Referees, so that we may share our experiences, insights, stories, ask questions and get answers. It's always nice to find people who share the same passion. While at the field, people talk about the two teams playing the game but seem to be unaware of the third team – the Referees, who are in charge of the match. We can tell a whole different story, because we see the game from a different perspective.


This is an introduction to youth soccer refereeing for people who know the game but don't know how to officiate. … started in 2003 by a 2nd year Grade 8 USSF soccer referee. Before I took the 18 hour referee course, I hunted the Internet trying to find a straightforward primer, but only found oblique rule books and trails and tidbits of advice here and there. Even after I took the course and knew the rules, I was still in the dark about the mechanics of actually refereeing a game. So I decided to write this for aspiring referees looking for a primer to get them onto the field. …


Cult classic cartoon strip You are the Ref appears exclusively this season on guardian.co.uk on Fridays, with Keith Hackett's official answers following on Mondays.


The website, www.SoccerRefereeUSA.com, is maintained for educational, information and communication purposes…


SocRef has been conceived and designed to provide valuable resources and information to both licensed soccer referees and aspiring soccer referees alike. It is our goal to help soccer referees, whatever their affiliation or association membership may be, to hone their potentials and to provide them the opportunity to improve and advance via up-to-date and accurate information.


ProReferee was founded in 2009 by Jason Sholl, a US Soccer Referee in California with 15 years of experience, at the time. Jason’s experience creating websites and publishing resources led him to create a company around his passion: refereeing soccer. …


AskTheRef (tm) (ATR) was founded by soccer fanatic, Mark Sprenger for the purpose of expanding the understanding of the game of soccer and allowing people to have fun while learning the application of soccer rules. … AskTheRef is designed to provide fun and UNOFFICIAL advice to the coaching community, the officiating community, the players and the player's parents and fans. …


All replies to technical questions posted in this column between February 23, 2000, and April 16, 2012, were coordinated with and approved by the U.S. Soccer Federation’s National Referee Program. As of April 17, 2012, all answers posted are technically correct, but not approved by U. S. Soccer. The Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) has kindly offered to endorse the items we publish here. The accuracy of the responses to your questions will remain as it has been in the past, based on the Laws of the Game and the traditional and practical application of them.


To Whistle Or Not To Whistle? – Things You Didn't Know About Things You Know Well… Referees must make decisions related to games, applying knowledge, common sense and their wits. These decisions must always respect the letter of the law and embrace the spirit of the game. Test your knowledge and see if you can answer the following question.


… dedicated to the identification, training, assessment, assignment, and employment of male and female professional soccer officials. We provide our services to North American professional soccer leagues, CONCACAF and FIFA competitions.