Old Bridge Soccer Club

Referee Page

Becoming a Referee

Click the Referee Classes and Info link above to Become a Referee

Referees must be 13 years of age for "Grade 9" certification (Rec Only), and 16 years of age for "Grade 8" certification (Travel & Rec).

The "grade" is NOT the school grade. This the referee level.

Copy and paste the section below to an email and reply to [email protected].

Answer below questions only if you are interested in refereeing for the current Recreational soccer season:

Referee Full Name:

Referee email:

Referee cell #:

Parents First Name:

Home Phone:

Home email:

Referee Cert. Grade 9 or 8:

Year on Patch:

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OBSC Policy

It is the intent of OBSC to assign all OBSC member referees as best as possible. Referees will be ranked and rated by the assessors based on their performance, experience level and age since the divisions are established by age.

Ranking will be based on the previous season and updated during the current season. Training, observation, mentoring and corrective action will be on an ongoing basis. These ratings are used to establish the divisions the referee is considered qualified for.

Referees are encouraged to attend all referee clinics.

Due to the number of Referees currently registered and happily growing each season, frequency of assignment is not guaranteed.

Due to the need to schedule the games expeditiously, please be prepared to accept the assignment on the day contacted. Failure to acknowledge could result in a re-assignment of the games (loss of assignment).

All referees must have a current year USSF badge. A lost patch will be tolerated as long as ref shows proof of certification via USSF membership card and proof of request to replace.

Remember this is a job. You are in a position of authority & respect and are expected to act accordingly.

You should arrive at the fields at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start of your game. If you are unable to referee your game, you must contact the league ASAP in order to have time to find a replacement.

Make sure you come to the fields in your appropriate referee uniform. This consists of a yellow referee shirt, black referee shorts (not soffee), and black referee socks (or rec team color). Your shirt must be tucked in. On cold or inclement days, you can wear black sweats & a black shirt or jacket under your referee shirt. A referee out of uniform may result in a send home.

No show’s will be taken out of rotation and or removed from registered list for the balance of the season. Unprofessional conduct at the fields will result in a suspension (Length to be determined by OBSC board).

You should have a whistle, stopwatch, flags, penalty cards, coin for toss, and a pen even if you are not assigned as center. You never know when you may be called to fill in for somebody who misses their assignment.

You should be familiar with the Laws of the Game. If you have a question, please ask a director.

Due to the large number of referees, we will be assuming a grading system. You will be graded on the items above and on how you referee the game. This grade will determine how we select the referees for the week.

Referee fee structure as follows:
Youth -Two Person System $25 each
Junior - $30 referee, $15 assistant referee
Senior - $35 referee, $20 assistant referee

Any questions about your referee assignments, or you would like to referee; contact [email protected]

The Ten Commandments of Refereeing

by Lars-Ake

This article summarizes the words of Mr. Björck, a FIFA Instructor and member of the FIFA Referee Committee from Sweden, to the assembled National Referees and candidates.

Body language is a key to successful refereeing. Beyond that, the referee must follow the Ten Commandments of Refereeing to be successful.

Leadership Qualities: Be a match leader. Lead by example, gain the players’ respect. Your personality is vital; you can’t copy anyone, it must be your own. Be eager to cooperate with everyone. Become trusted for your actions. Use the Laws correctly. Take responsibility for the application of the Laws. Study the rules, use them correctly.
Justice: Always be neutral and steadfast. Show no prejudice. Remember that all matches are equally important. Do not underestimate any person or event. Your attitude will be reflected in your actions.
Knowledge of the Rules: Have a good knowledge of the Laws and use correct interpretations of the Laws to enjoy success in any match. The referee must understand the game. Use the rules to apply the Spirit of the Game. Do not work blindly and strictly according to the Letter of the Law: that is the skill in refereeing.
Strictness: Be consistent. Use the rules. Do not wait for next incident; act immediately. Cautions and send-offs mean nothing after you have lost control of the match—players will realize your insecurity.
Make Correct Decision at the Correct Time: Proper use of the advantage is the sign of a good referee. If you are not sure of a call, do not blow the whistle. When you use the advantage, do not forget your cards—go back and deal with the misconduct. It shows you understand the game, that you read the game well.
Condition and its Influence: Good physical condition equals good mental condition. Lack of good physical conditioning results in slow reactions, inconsistency, inability to observe the game properly. Present a good image when you enter the field through your dress, your comments to all participants, and how you relate to the players. That brings immediate respect. The colorless referee shows no personality, because he has an insecure image of himself and makes difficulties for himself. Such a referee will not go far.
Good Sense of Humor: A good sense of humor is gold! Sport should be cheerful. Do not lose your sense of humor. You can improve your relations with the players if you use no swear words, keep yourself calm, control your temper, use agreeable and relevant language, do not forget to smile—but do not exaggerate, and do not forget to smile—but don’t smile at every moment.
Courage and Will Power: Show firmness—stand behind your decisions. You cannot replace one foul with another foul. Don’t talk with spectators. Don’t let decisions be influenced by spectators.
Cooperativeness: Have good relations and communications with your assistants. Do not be arrogant or contemptuous. Trust your ARs; don’t blame them or shame them in public.
Loyalty: Behave loyally. Don’t criticize colleagues in public. Don’t reveal your opinion in public. Talk with the referee afterwards