Working as a referee can be a rewarding experience for both adults and youth soccer enthusiasts.
It's a job that allows you to stay physically active and The Midwest Soccer Officials Association provides community, training, and resources to help you on the way!
To find out more you can also email:
Greg Kuehnle gkuehnle7@gmail.com or John Sauer jopsauer@fuse.net
Why Referee?
- Have fun, make good money and stay active
- Develop leadership and decision-making skills along an appropriate age and experience level pathway
- In person support and training is provided
- Learn the game from a new perspective whilst becoming a better parent, player or spectator
- Help your local community & make more soccer friends along the way
Who Can Referee?
- Older Players - Are you a soccer player who is “soccering out” meaning your career is coming to a close as a HS age participant?
- Younger Players - Are you a 12-14 year old looking for experience?
- Parents - Are you a parent who is “soccering out” meaning your career of watching your child is coming to a close and you still want to be in the game?
- Students of the game - Are you an expert fan who is ready to get certified?
- Existing Referees looking for a new challenge - Have you refereed before in other areas, leagues or sports but are now looking for new assignments?
- Anyone - We would love to hear from you to see if you are interested....just reach out! Even if you are an experienced referee in this area, there may be a way you can give something back and help us grow the game.
What are the perks?
- Great pay - Starting rate is $35-50 per game; increases based upon experience and age groups you referee, tournament assignments can result in a least $300-400 per weekend with convenient schedules.
- Insurance - We have you covered once you are qualified.
- Training & Support - In person mentoring, shadow more experienced referees and learn from your colleagues.
- Pathways and Progression - Start at an age and experience appropriate level for yourself and work your way up; referees are always in demand and you can go as far as your desire and ability takes you!
- Flexibility of Scheduling - Do as many games as you want, whenever you want.
What they say about refereeing
When I saw my son’s games being cancelled because there weren’t any referees available that was my motivation to become a referee. There is no game without a referee!
My daughter expressed some interest and I thought it was a great way to for us to spend some time together….great to see my kid’s confidence grow as they do more games as they deal with real life situations.
My kid was 'soccering out' and so was I. No more weekends with games and multiple practices. Getting into refereeing has allowed me to stay in the sport and really understand the game better than I did before…..and I am in better shape now too!
I took the challenge when I questioned a referee and they said 'if you don’t like the calls then get out here and help us..it is not as easy as it looks'. Becoming a referee has given me a much better perspective on the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to attend a lot of classes to become certified?
No. Most of the training is done online and can be done at your time and pace. USSF only requires one in-person 3 hour training class and for High School referees the entire course is done online with no in person meeting attendance required.
How many games will I have to agree to do?
You can do as many games as you want...from 1 a year to 250 a year!
Can I choose when I do games?
Yes. You get to choose when you want to do games. Make your assignments work for your schedule.
What age level games will I be assigned?
That depends on your age and confidence level. The assignors will never ask you to referee a game that’s out of your comfort level.
How much money can I make refereeing?
It is up to you and depends on your level and how many games you want to do. Younger refs will start on around $35-50 a game. At an average tournament weekend you can easily make $200-$400.
Not ready to referee but want to learn the game?
- Do you know the handball rule?
- Understand the offside rule properly?
- What is the 'advantage' rule?
- Is it always a foul just because someone fell over?
- When is the ball actually over the line?
- What are the different types of free kicks?
- How do the rules change between 5v5, 7v7, 9v9 and 11v11?
You can understand the game better without having to actually referee - we would still love to help teach you more!