Referee Points and Playoff Eligibility
What is the deal with Referees?
AYSO is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization. Serving our community is core to our principles and volunteering as Referees benefits our children and families with a better experience. By maintaining our all-volunteer status we are granted priority access to playing fields in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. AYSO Certified Referees work with Coaches and Parents to keep the game Fair, Safe and Fun. Without a certified referee, we are not allowed to play. We are in constant need to recruit new Referees and improve our skills so we offer free training as well as extensive mentoring and support. Many of our volunteer AYSO Referees also work as professionals for clubs and schools and our youth Referees may earn school service credits.
Can anyone referee?
The rules are easy to learn and the duties for newly certified Assistant Referees are simple. Can you determine when a ball has left the field and raise a flag? Congratulations, you're well on your way!
Why do we have Referee Points?
The purpose of Referee Points is to incentivize and reward teams and parents for volunteering and sustaining our all-volunteer organization. The Referee at your child's game was provided by a team earning points for their child/grandchild/sibling's team. Besides the benefit of keeping the game Safe, Fair, and Fun for everyone, we reward teams with the opportunity to play in the postseason when they have earned a sufficient number of Referee Points.
Unfortunately, "Club" [non-certified] referees are ineligible to accrue points.
How many points are required?
The number of Referee Points a team requires to qualify for postseason play is: (3 x Scheduled Games / 2.5).
For example, in a ten (10) game season 12 points would be required (3 x 10 / 2.5) = 12.
What are the ways we can earn points?
Assistant Referee assignments completed earn 1 point each.
What are the steps to earn enough points for my team to qualify for postseason?
Division Director works with coaches to identify Team Referees, and assists them with signing-up in SportsConnect and directing them to training, Certified Referees complete game assignments:
https://www.newportayso.com/Default.aspx?tabid=948754
My team has our required Referee Points, what is our reward?
Not only does your team get to play in the postseason, the team with a higher Referee Point total will be designated the home team with the attending privileges for all intra-regional playoff games: Kick-off, choice of goal to defend, and choice of sideline to sit-on.
How are points calculated?
Completed referee assignments are calculated automatically by MatchTrak, our game scheduling and Referee self-assignment system. Automatically calculated points from Referee assignments will not be revised, however the Regional Referee Administrator reserves the right to adjust or move points as required to reflect completed Referee assignments as they actually happened.
Is there a separate policy for SCDESL (EXTRA) Teams?
Participation in the EXTRA program has additional requirements set by Section 11 EXTRA program.
Teams that do not meet requirements are ineligible for postseason play.
1. At least three (3) certified, active AYSO Referees per EXTRA team active in AYSO programs.
2. Teams must comply with their Region’s Referee Point Policy.
3. Matches that do not have a Referee assigned to their game by Friday 12:00 pm prior to that weekend’s play are subject to forfeit by the home team.
Where can teams view their required points and progress?
Your team’s required points and progress can be viewed on your team’s MatchTrak page.
Click here to find your team:
Example:
