Top 5 Reasons to Become a WSSL Referee!
and... Students get credits towards their school's community service requirement.
Whatever reasons motivate you to take the field as a Referee, we try to provide support and encouragement to make this a rewarding experience for you and the players!
How to Get Certified as a WSSL Referee
First, register as a volunteer with AYSO (wssl.org / Player / Player & Volunteer Registration) and, for adults, complete the annual background check. The background check is only required for persons 18 years of age and older, however volunteer registration is required for all volunteers. Volunteer registration is different from Player registration, so all teen referees must complete the Volunteer registration.
Make sure to volunteer as a Referee (check box) and you can select the division(s) that you would like to referee in.
Register for all in-person and online courses by logging in to eTrainU, our training website:
From any inLeague page, look for the eTrainU Graduation Cap Icon on the top-right. Click on that icon, and then click on the Login to eTrainU button on the next page. There are no separate credentials; you log in to inLeague first and then go to eTrainU from there.
Courses required of all volunteers:
If you haven't taken the online Safe Haven or Concussion Awareness since 2011, login to eTrainU and complete these online. You can find them by clicking on the “Training Library” link and browsing the courses in the Safe Haven category.
Register for Referee training courses
If you have children in the 6U, 7U, or 8U age groups or wish to officiate in these age groups, please register for the 8U Official - Full In-Person Course:
If you have children in the 9U and older age groups, or wish to officiate in these age groups, you will need to complete a Regional Referee - Full In-Person Course. There are two routes to becoming eligible to take this class:
1) Complete the 8U Official course (above); or,
2) Complete the "Regional Referee - Online + In-Person Companion Course (2 Part Bundle)" online class:
Once you are eligible:
Once you attend the class and pass the exam, you are now a certified soccer referee. We will give you a uniform and kit for free: Send an email to Uniforms.WSSL@gmail.com including your name and shirt size (Youth, Adult Small, Medium, Large, XL or 2XL) and cut (Men's style or Women's style), and your preferred pick up location (West 79th Street or West 152nd Street, or at 101st Street & Riverside soccer field).
Please email your Division Chief Referee (see below) or stan.ince@gmail.com with any questions.
Other stuff worth knowing:
Division Chief Referees
Referee Leadership Team
The Chief Referees in each division should be your first point of contact about rules and the practical aspects of refereeing. Please use this website to look for information but if you cannot find what you need, please contact your chief referee if you have questions about:
If you are not sure which Division your child is in, or if you are trying to reach your division's Chief Referee, you can check under DIVISIONS.
We have a manual for the division Chief Referees. To view it, please click here: Chief Referee Manual.
Referee Leadership Team
Stan Ince is the Regional Referee Administrator and makes sure that we have a chief referee for each division and that the chief referees have the resources they need.
Michael Titowsky is the Regional Director of Referee Instruction and is responsible for scheduling and organizing referee training for all divisions.
Paul Samarel is the Regional Director of Referee Assessment and is responsible for referee mentoring, observations and assessment for certification upgrades for referees in all divisions.
John Drayton is our Regional Director of Youth Referees. Please contact John for any questions or concerns about the Youth Referee program.