“Soccer is like a play in two acts with the referee as the director. The drama contains the full spectrum of emotions including suspense, excitement, periods of calm followed by intense action, there are heroes and occasionally villains, and good performances building to a dramatic conclusion. A good director (referee) with well-coached actors (players) has the capability of creating a wonderful two-act play (game) that will be enjoyed by all who observe.” — Ken Aston

The Section 1 Referee website provides all volunteers in Section 1 with current information, guidance and training opportunities to fulfill all aspects of the AYSO National Referee Program. A good place to find everything about the program is in the National Referee Program Manual. You will find links to topics such as Laws of the Game, Referee forms, Books on Refereeing, Game videos and more. This material is provided to assist in your development as a Referee.

If there are additional materials or links that you feel would benefit our Referee community, please forward your recommendations to the Section 1 Referee Administrator.

News Alert!!

  • AYSO Newsletters
    We know that you may miss a newsletter or two from time to time, or you may be interested in sharing a past issue with someone and have deleted it from your email.  You can find the past year’s worth of AYSO Newsletters: The Insider, Hey Coach and Whistle Stop on our AYSO Volunteers site here. We will continue to ...
  • AYSO Memoriam
    Enjoy this video remembering all those who came before us and made AYSO a National Organization of note. AYSO Memoriam Especially, note the remembrance of our own Paul Castellani, the Roman Cowboy, who made such a difference in our lives. Shown here at the 2014 National Games with Sandee Wilson and Jody Kinsey, two of our ...
  • 2023-2024 Changes to Laws of the Game
    Details of the law changes for 2023-2024 season may be viewed at here.    
  • 4 March 2023: The IFAB’s 137th Annual General Meeting
    The IFAB 137th Annual General Meeting was held 4 March 2023 in London. Read the Agenda. Read the Decisions from the meeting. Read the Outline summary of Law changes. Watch the news conference following the AGM.
  • Player’s Equipment Modification In National Rules and Regulations
    There has been a modification to the National Rules and Regulations (2.VI.F) of the AYSO Reference Book.  The modification addresses the motion approved by the NBOD on hair beads and medical devices. Section 2.VI.F Players Equipment Players shall not wear anything that is dangerous to either themselves or other players subject to the referee’s approval under Law ...
  • AYSO: Referee Abuse — Not Tolerated
    Abuse of referees (or, more generically, game officials) has continued to escalate and has become the #1 or #2 reason that game officials leave a sport.  Raised as an issue during the most recent AYSO Coaches’ Meeting it became very clear, as referees, we need to nip abuse in the bud.  While player, coach and ...

News Archive…

Interested in becoming a (better) Referee?

Sign-up for one of the upcoming courses on the Referee Training page. There are plenty of dates to choose from. Find the one that is right for you! If you have any questions about what it takes to volunteer as a referee or how you can take your referee skills to the next level, please contact the Section 1 Director of Referee Instruction.

2022 Goals and Objectives

  • Implement the AYSO National Referee Program in response to the needs of AYSO Volunteers in Section 1
  • Promote Referee Assessment and Instruction for all AYSO Referees
  • Provide officials of the highest caliber for Section programs
  • Support the special development needs of Women Referees
  • Promote Referee mentoring, development and retention

Section 1 Referee Staff

Updated: April 1, 2022 at 1:49 PM