The following has been prepared by Cindy Murphy, East Side Referee assigner, to help young referees and their moms understand their options during recertification and upgrade time:

In order to work as a referee in 2009, you MUST attend a recertification or bridge class.  To recertify, you need to follow the instructions specified in the letter that you receive from US Soccer in November.Class information is available on the Michigan Referee Committee’s website, www.msysareferee.net.

Your options for recertification/bridge classes are: 

1)      If you are a grade 9 (blue badge) referee who took the new referee class AFTER July 1^st, 2008, and will be less than 14 years of age on 1-1-09, AND have a 2009 referee badge—Congratulations!  You are all set for 2009, and don’t have to attend any additional classes at this time.

2)     If you are a grade 9 (blue badge) referee who took the new referee class AFTER July 1^st, 2008, and you will be at least 14 years of age on 1-1-09, and you have a 2009 referee badge, you have TWO choices: a) Do nothing, and keep your grade 9 designation for 2009; OR b) Take a grade 9 to grade 8 bridge class.  (You will have to pay to take this class, even though technically you are already certified for 2009.)  The bridge class is 8 hours long.

3)     If you are a grade 9 (blue badge) referee and took your class BEFORE July 1^st 2008, and will be less than 14 years of age on 1-1-09, you need to take a grade 9 recertification class.  (Three hour class, one day)

4)     If you are a grade 9 (blue badge) referee, and will be at least 14 years of age on 1-1-09, you have TWO choices: a) Take a grade 9 recertification class; OR b) Take a grade 9 to grade 8 bridge class.

5)     If you are a grade 8 referee, and are not planning to upgrade, you need to take a grade 8 recertification class.  (6 hour class, usually one day.)

6)     If you are a grade 8 referee who is even thinking about upgrading, or have started the upgrade to grade 7 process, you should take the fitness test, and attend the state referee class on Sunday, December 7^th, in East Lansing.

7)     If you are already a grade 7 referee, you should already know the drill.  You need to take a fitness test, and attend any of the grade 7/8 recertification classes OR the state class.

8)     Those of you who are a grade 6 or up referee—you know what to do.

 Referee grades (Referee grade is NOT the same as school grade):

Grade 9 (blue badge):  Can work U12/U14 house lines, and U8-U10 centers if at least 14 years of age.  Game assignments are based on experience as well as referee grade.

Grade 8:  Can work any level youth game, as well as some lower level adult games.  Again, game assignments are based on experience as well as referee grade.

Grade 7 and up:  Game assignments based on experience and availability.  Work youth and adult games.  Other assignments possible.

 You can take the classes anywhere in Michigan; you do NOT have to pre-register for recertification or fitness classes.  You DO have to pre-register for the bridge class.  Take one of the earlier classes if you can; you don’t want to put recertification off, and then find out that no more classes are being offered.