AYSO Region 19 Referee & Volunteer Points System

(Updated 09/22/2023)

Purpose:

In order to provide for a healthy volunteer referee program within Region 19, a volunteer points system will continue for the 2023 season.  While such a system must have consequences if the goals of the program are not met, the objective is to provide adequate volunteer coverages, not punish teams.

Implementation:

All teams should provide two adult referee volunteers.  Each 10U, 12U and 14U team must earn 12 Referee points and each 7U and 8U team must earn 7 Referee points by the Thanksgiving break.

All Teams (7U - 14U) must also earn a minimum of 5 Regional Points.

Teams earn Regional Points as Follows:

• Field Maintenance Event (if/when scheduled) 2 hrs. = 1 point
• Picture Day 2nd volunteer 2 hrs. = 1 point (1st or only volunteer = zero points)
• Snack Bar Assistance 2 hrs. = 1 point
• Fiesta La Ballona AYSO Booth (August 25-27, 2023)  2 hrs. = 1 point

Teams earn Referee points as follows:

• One (1) point will be awarded for each referee (Center or Assistant Referee) assignment fulfilled in weeks one (1) to eleven (11).
• Each newly Certified Referee will receive a bonus of 2 points once the newly certified referee has completed 3 game assignments in the same season as certified.
• Referees that complete an upgrade process in the Fall 2023 season to Intermediate, Advanced or National shall receive a bonus of 2 points. 
• Current referees that attend a validated refresher class or any law review session shall receive a one-time 1-point bonus.

Apart from the bonus referee points, no team may earn more than 3 referee points per week, in order that all teams have the opportunity to earn points.  Starting on October 28, 2023, teams can earn 4 points per week.

Since the objective of the volunteer points system is to increase volunteer participation, the Region reserves the right to change the points requirement as circumstances dictate.

A referee must be identified as representing a team at the time he or she accepts a referee assignment for points to be awarded.  Volunteer referee names must be provided by the team coaches to their respective Division Commissioners within the first three (3) weeks of the season.  No points can be earned retroactively, except for documented errors and the 3-week grace period at the start of the season.  Referees are expected to only represent one team but may represent more than one team if they are a close family relation to a player on each team.

Referees must sign the back of the game card, legibly writing the team's name they are representing; (example: Laura Love - B12 Zetina).

All volunteer referees must be certified AYSO referees and have a current Fall 2023 volunteer application on file with the Regional Child and Volunteer Protection Advocate (CVPA).  
All volunteer referees must have completed SAFE Haven, Sudden Cardiac Arrest, and CDC Concussion Awareness certifications within the past 3 years. 
All volunteer referees must also have an unexpired Risk Status and Safe Sport Training date.

All referees must be in uniform. An exception will be made for newly certified Referees who have not yet received their uniforms.  Such Referees cannot be a Center Referee, but may act as a “club lines person,” and will be allowed to earn points.

The total point count assumes a 10-week season. The point requirement will be either pro-rated by 1 point per weekend for which games are cancelled, or points will still be awarded based on the assignments at the time the games are cancelled. In any event, no points will be awarded for games that are added to make up for cancelled games.

Post season referees must referee a minimum of 5 games during the regular season, with 3 of them as CR, and have all required training and certifications to be eligible to referee for tournaments.

Summary:

• 7U and 8U teams must earn 7 referee points by the Thanksgiving break.
  
• 10U, 12U and 14U team must earn 12 referee points by the Thanksgiving break.
• All teams must earn 5 regional points.

Injury:

Points will be given for a referee who is unable to fulfill a referee assignment through injury at the field on the day they were due to referee.  This does not apply for subsequent weekends.  The replacement referee will also earn volunteer points for that game.

Rewards/Consequences:

All 7U/8U teams that fulfill their volunteer and referee points will be invited to participate in a soccer fest the week after Thanksgiving. All 10U and higher teams that do not fulfill the point requirements will not be eligible to advance to quarterfinals / semi-finals.  AYSO Region 19 offers a scheduled 10-week primary program for all teams.  Any playoffs (quarterfinals, semi-finals, finals or advancements) are considered a secondary program associated with the primary program.

Youth Referees:

Youth referees are welcome and encouraged to referee for school hours, fun, etc., but Youth Referees who are active 10U-14U players cannot earn points towards the volunteer point requirement. Upper Division players (16U-19U) can earn volunteer points.

Record Keeping:

• Game cards will be used to record and verify referee assignments. Referees must sign their names on the back of the game card, legibly writing the team’s name they are representing; (for example: Laura Love - B12 Zetina).
• Division Commissioners will report the assignments on to the Volunteer Points Coordinator; they may also keep a copy of the assignment list at the field.
• Referees can be added to a team’s list of active referees later in the season, but points will not be credited retroactively.
• Referees cannot change their team affiliation once they are identified as representing a team.

Notification:

The Referee Points accumulated by each team will be posted weekly on the Region 19 website under the Volunteer Points Link.  It is the responsibility of each coach to review their team's points. Any discrepancies must be emailed to the Volunteer Points Coordinator and the Division Commissioner prior to the next week's regular scheduled game. 

Please note that at this time the website is not programmed to post the Non Referee points (Region Volunteer Points) however, these are recorded and updated manually by at least two board members and will be posted to the website as a pdf document in October after Picture Day has occurred.

When requesting to verify missing points the following must be provided:
Date of game, Field#, Game Time, Age Division.  For example: Sat 09/09, Field#10, 5pm, BU12.

The Volunteer Points Coordinator will post updates to the Region website and update Division Commissioners. Where possible, the Division Commissioners should notify team coaches who may be falling short of achieving the required points.

WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS GIVING OF OUR TIME FREELY SO THE KIDS CAN HAVE A POSITIVE, FUN EXPERIENCE AT ALL TIMES - PLEASE THINK KID ZONE AT ALL TIMES - ALL AYSO FIELDS ARE SAFE HAVEN FOR OUR PLAYERS!

THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING!!!