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RECERTIFICATION FAQ



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Every Massachusetts referee certified with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) must recertify every year, regardless of grade. You are required to attend a clinic in order to receive your recertification.

If you already have a certification for next year, attendance is optional. If you attend a recertification clinic, you will not be asked to submit another registration form nor be required to pay an additional fee. The style and approach of the presentation offered at a recertfication clinic is different than at an entry level course and very beneficial to all.

You do not have to attend the Recertification clinic if you intend to take either the 8 hour Grade 8 Bridge course or the 16 hour Grade 8 Entry Level course before the Spring Season begins.

Below is a list of Frequently asked questions that will help you through this process:

Q1: What is new this year?

You will receive a registration letter which includes your demographic information, a bar code, and a place for a signature. Please bring this registration letter to a recertification clinic to be submitted as part of registering. Also new this year is a electronic pre-enrollment process which requires logging in to the MSRC Central database. Be sure to follow directions.

Q2: Who must recertify?

Every Massachusetts referee certified with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) must recertify every year, regardless of grade. You are required to attend a clinic in order to receive your recertification.

Q3: Where can I recertify?

Beginning in November of each year and running through the end of January the MSRC schedules recertification clinics held at various locations across the state. The list of clinics is typically finalized in August preceding the recertification season to allow for advanced planning. An attempt is made to minimize the distance traveled by all referees in Massachusetts in meeting their in-service training requirement.

Q4: What should I bring to the clinic?

Referees should bring: a notebook and pen or pencil for taking notes during the session, the registration letter received in the mail, a check made payable to "MSRC" (see fee schedule below), a list of questions that they would like addressed at the meeting, and an open mind.

Q5: What if I have not received my recertification materials yet?

A letter for officials in our state will be mailed between the middle and end of October, 2007. Please do not forget to bring your registration letter!

Q6: Do I have to attend the clinic in my area?

No. You may attend any clinic on the list. If you miss the one nearest you, you can go to any of the others. Just arrive on time, attend the entire instructional session, take the refresher test, and deliver your registration letter.

Q7: Can I just drop off the registration letter or have a friend bring it for me?

No. You must be there in person. The purpose of the clinic is to update you on law changes and provide advanced instruction appropriate to your level of experience. Late arrival or early departure from the clinic are grounds for not being recertified. According to the Referee Administrative Handbook, the national requirements for maintaining certification include five hours of in-service training each year.

Q8: How long will a recertification clinic be?

All clinics are expected to start at 8:30am and are expected to complete at 1pm. Arrival is encouraged at 8:15am to allow the staff to organize the sessions and get started on time. Registration forms and checks will be collected only at the end of the clinic from those who have participated for the entire clinic.

Q9: Can I stay for part of the recertification clinic and still register at the clinic?

No. Plan your schedule accordingly. Those that arrive late or leave early will not be allowed to register at that clinic. It is not our intent to turn referees away from getting as much from an available clinic as possible. Those that cannot stay for an entire clinic will have the option to participate in a clinic for as much as possible or attend another clinic.

Q10: What is the fee due at the recertification clinic?

The annual registration fee should be paid at the clinic when you submit your registration form. Checks are preferred for payment and all checks should be made payable to "MSRC" according to referee level/grade. The following table shows the amounts due:

Referee Grade

Amount Due before Feb 15

Amount Due after Feb 15 (includes Late Fee)

Grade 9

$20

$30

Grade 8

$25

$35

Grade 7

$25

$35

Grade 6

$40

$50

Grade 5

$40

$50

Grade 4

$50

$60

Grade 3

$50

$60

Grade 2

$60

$70

Grade 1

$60

$70

National Emeritus

$40

$50

State Emeritus

$25

$35


Q11: Can I attend a recertification clinic if I did not recertify last year?

Yes. Referees are expected to maintain their certification from year to year. If the referee does let his or her registration lapse for no more than one year, we can re-certify them without having to retake the course. This policy is in place to assist in cases when referees have occasionally lost their paperwork or had some other unusual occurrence. However, this is not an advisable alternative and there are some considerable drawbacks for referees when this happens. Among other things, their experience level automatically defaults to zero, which means that the assignors may bypass them in favor of more experienced referees. This will also have a negative effect on the referee's future career should they ever desire to upgrade, etc.

Q12: I recently moved to Massachusetts from another state where I was certified. What do I do to certify here in Massachusetts?

All transfers to and from State Associations are usually coordinated by the State Referee Administrator from the state which the referee is leaving, however, you may contact the Massachusetts SRA directly by e-mail.

Q13: I am away in college, and cannot get to any of the clinics. What do I do?

Massachusetts referees may only renew their annual USSF registration at a designated recertification clinic to remain on the roll of active referees and lists authorized for assignors. Most other states schedule several clinics, and it may be possible for you to attend where you are going to school.

Q14: I still have not recertified but I want to ref, what else can I do?

If after the last recertification clinic has been conducted, a referee has not attended a clinic but feels there are extenuating circumstances, such as college, illness or military service, they may submit an appeal to be excepted from the clinic requirement. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN APPEAL. The appeal will be considered by the MSRC on a case by case basis. The referee will be notified within 60 days if the registration has been accepted or rejected.

Q15: If I just took an entry level course in June, July, August, or September, and was given a badge for next year, do I have to go to a recertification clinic?

If you already have a certification for next year, attendance is optional. If you attend a recertification clinic, you will not be asked to submit another registration form nor be required to pay an additional fee. The style and approach of the presentation offered at a recertfication clinic is different than at an entry level course and very beneficial to all.

Q16: I preregistered for one of the Annual Recertification clinics and haven't received a confirmation, what should I do?

E-mail confirmations should be sent immediately. If you did not receive one, you should check that any spam filtering did not mistakenly "catch" the confirmation. If you are still concerned of your status, you can contact MSRC Support.

Q17: I am a Grade 9 referee and plan to take the Grade 8 Bridge course or Grade 8 Entry Level course before the Spring season. Do I have to go to a recertification clinic?

You do not have to attend the Recertification clinic if you intend to take either the 8 hour Grade 8 Bridge course or the 16 hour Grade 8 Entry Level course before the Spring Season begins.

Q18: If I have any other questions regarding recertification requirements what should I do?

If your questions have not been answered by this document, feel free to contact the MSRC by e-mail.