REFEREE CLASSES for 2009, Region 26 (2/A/26), Palo Alto, California

For a description of the introductory clinics, please see Becoming an AYSO Referee.

The more advanced clinics are described briefly in Becoming a Better Referee and the Palo Alto AYSO's Referee's Handbook.

All referees MUST attend some type of AYSO referee clinic or course each Fall. Referees not attending a certification course must attend a "Refresher" Clinic.
All referees MUST have Safe Haven certification documented in eAYSO. eAYSO-documented certification is obtained by completing an online course.

New Law books and Referee Handbooks will be available at all clinics.

Find it here:

In addition, you can also find similar referee training offered by Los Altos Region 43 and other nearby AYSO regions.

Types of Courses and Clinics

If you are... Your best bet For a description, see
New to Under-7 to Under-9 U7/U8/U9 Course Becoming an AYSO Referee
New to Under-10 to Under-12 Basic Referee Course Becoming an AYSO Referee
Returning Under-7 to Under-9 Refresher Clinic - U7/U8/U9 Becoming a Better Referee
Returning Under-10 to Under-12 Refresher Clinic - U10 through U12 Becoming a Better Referee
Returning Under-14 and up Refresher Clinic - U14 and Older Becoming a Better Referee
Just in need of Safe Haven Safe Haven only Safe Haven
U8 Official ready to upgrade
 Basic Referee Course Becoming a Better Referee
Regional Referee ready to upgrade Intermediate Referee Course Becoming a Better Referee
Intermediate Referee ready to upgrade
 Advanced Referee Course Becoming a Better Referee
Advanced Referee ready to upgrade
 National Referee Course Becoming a Better Referee

Class Location and Parking

Referee classes are at Cubberley Community Center at 4000 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, between San Antonio Road and Charleston Road. Most Cubberley classes are in the "A" Wing, which is near the parking lot closest to San Antonio Road.

Parking at Cubberley is usually not a problem EXCEPT for classes in the last week of September. School is then in session for Foothill College and parking is difficult at best and next to impossible if you are late. Come early for those classes if you want to park in the Cubberley lot. You have been warned!

Directions to Cubberley Community Center:
* From 101, take the San Antonio Road South exit, toward Los Altos.
* From San Antonio Road, turn right onto Middlefield Road.
* From Middlefield Road, turn left at the first traffic light into the Cubberley parking lot (opposite Montrose Ave). This is soon after turning from San Antonio Road.

Referee Equipment Pick-up

Referee uniforms and equipment are available, free of charge, on several of the class evenings, in the walkway in front of the A-Wing classrooms. Contact our Referee Equipment Coordinator if you have any questions. Pick-up times:
  1. Monday 8/31, 7:30 PM
  2. Tuesday 9/1, 7:30 PM
  3. Tuesday 9/8, 7:30 PM
  4. Thursday 9/10, 7:30 PM
  5. Monday 9/14, 7:30 PM
  6. Thursday 9/17, 7:30 PM

Safe Haven Certification

The Safe Haven program instructs volunteers in ways to provide a healthy and positive environment in which children can learn and enjoy the game of soccer. The training is required for all AYSO referees nationwide, as well as for all coaches and other volunteers who have contact with children.

Safe Haven training is available online. It takes about 30 minutes to complete. It is highly recommended but not required that Safe Haven be completed before attending the U8 Official Course or the Basic Referee Course. New U8 Officials and Regional Referees are required to complete Safe Haven certification before they will receive their badges.

You must know your AYSO Volunteer ID Number to take the online Safe Haven course. If you do not know your Volunteer ID Number, see the Referee Registration Page for instructions.

Click on the following link to go to the online Safe Haven training

U8 Official Course (Under-7 through Under-9)

If you are a new referee for Under-7 or Under-8 or Under-9 year olds, you MUST attend the U8 Official Course. This course introduces potential new referees to AYSO soccer as it is played by 6 to 8 year olds (the Under-7, Under-8, and Under-9 divisions) in Palo Alto. The course is a single, three-hour class session and assumes no prior knowledge of soccer. The class sessions for the U8 Official course will be held six times in 2009: You need to attend only one of these sessions.

Basic (Regional) Referee Course (Under-10 through Under-12)

If you are a new referee for Under-10, Under-11, or Under-12s, you should attend the Basic Referee Course, which covers the full Laws of the Game and prepares both experienced Under-9 referees and folks with no prior referee experience to referee games at the U10-U12 level. You must attend both sessions plus take the Regional Referee written exam to referee U10s, U11s, and U12s. You must pass the exam by a score of 75% or better (C+!) -- and you must have Safe Haven certification documented in eAYSO -- to earn your Regional Referee badge.

The Basic Referee Course will be given three times in 2009:
        
Class 1

Session 1
Session 2
Exam		 8/31 (Mon)
9/1 (Tue)
9/2 (Wed)		 6:30-9:30 PM, Room A7
6:30-9:30 PM, Room A7
6:30-9:30 PM, Room A7
Class 2

Session 1
Session 2
Exam		 9/8 (Tue)
9/9 (Wed)
9/10 (Thu)		 6:30-9:30 PM, Room A7
6:30-9:30 PM, Room A7
6:30-9:30 PM, Room A7
Class 3

Session 1
Session 2
Exam		 9/14 (Mon)
9/15 (Tue)
9/16 (Wed)		 6:30-9:30 PM, Room A7
6:30-9:30 PM, Room A7
6:30-9:30 PM, Room A7

Refresher Clinics - 3 Age Ranges

If you are a returning referee and will not attend an AYSO referee certification course this fall, you must attend one of the Refresher Clinics. There are separate classes for the different age ranges, each focusing on that level's laws and procedures.

Refresher Clinics are designed to help referees who officiated games last season get "back into the flow" at the start of the Fall season. All referees who are not attending another AYSO referee clinic must attend a refresher clinic each year. The latest changes to the Laws of the Game will be covered in detail and questions and issues of interest to the attendees will be discussed. New Law books and other referee reference materials will be available. Refresher Clinics will be held:

For U7/U8/U9:

For U10 through U12:

For U14 and Older:

Intermediate Referee Course

The Intermediate Referee Course is for Regional Referees who would like to improve their skills on the field and learn to do more challenging and more physically demanding matches. Regional Referees who are interested in refereeing games in the U14 division are strongly encouraged to move up to the Intermediate Referee level. Even if you prefer to referee U10 and U12 games, the Intermediate Referee course will improve your refereeing skills, and make your games more fun and interesting for you.

The Intermediate Referee Course scheduled for October 16-18, 2009, has been canceled.

Advanced Referee Course

The Advanced Referee Course is for referees who hold an Intermediate Referee badge and want to gain the skills to officiate U14 and older games.

The Advanced Referee Course was offered at Golden Gate Camp, July 17-19, at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont

An Advanced Referee Course may be offered by Area 2A in November. Look for more information here when it becomes available.

National Referee Course

The National Referee Course is for referees who hold an Advanced Referee badge and want to gain the skills to officiate U16 and older games. National Referee is the highest referee certification level that AYSO has.

The National Referee Course was offered at Golden Gate Camp, July 17-19, at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont.

2009 Referee Clinic Calendar

All events, except the U16/19 Referee Meeting, are at the Cubberley Community Center, 4000 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto.
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
8/30
 
 
 8/31

Basic Referee (1/2) - A7

U8 Official - A6



Ref equipment - A-Wing 		9/1

Basic Referee (2/2) - A7

U8 Official - A3

U16/19 Ref Mtg - Mtn View (see Note #2 below)

Ref equipment - A-Wing 		9/2

Basic Referee Exam - A7

U14+ Refresher - A6 		9/3

U7/8/9 Refresher - A7

U10/12 Refresher - A2
 9/4

 9/5
9/6
 
 
 
 		 9/7

Labor Day		 9/8

Basic Referee (1/2) - A7

U8 Official - D1

Ref equipment - A-Wing 		9/9

Basic Referee (2/2) - A7

U7/8/9 Refresher - A6 		9/10

Basic Referee Exam -A7

U8 Official - A2

Ref equipment - A-Wing 		9/11

 9/12

Start of Season
9/13
 
 
 
 		 9/14

Basic Referee (1/2) - A7

U8 Official - A3

Ref equipment - A-Wing 		9/15

Basic Referee (2/2) - A7

U10/12 Refresher - D1
 9/16

Basic Referee Exam - A7
 9/17

U14+ Refresher - A7

U8 Official - A2

Ref equipment - A-Wing 		9/18

 9/19
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
10/11
 10/12
 
 
 
 		 10/13
 10/14
 10/15
 10/16
 10/17
10/18


 10/19
 
 
 
 		 10/20
 10/21
 10/22
 10/23
 10/24
  1. The Basic Referee Course needs to be taken by those who will be refereeing games for U10 and older.
    Current U8 Officials will also need to take this class to referee U10 games, as there is a lot of new material covered.
    The course is comprised of 2 nights of classroom instruction, followed by a review and written exam on the 3rd night.
    These should be taken in order but may be completed as parts of different classes.
  2. Area Play (U16/19) Coach and Referee Meeting, Tuesday, September 1, 7:30 PM, Graham Middle School Multipurpose Rm, 1175 Castro St, Mtn View

For any questions and more information, contact:

Stephen Hansen, Regional Director of Referee Instruction

Lee Berg, Regional Referee Administrator

Updated October 7, 2009
 Palo Alto AYSO Referee pages Copyright © 2008 Palo Alto AYSO