Referee Resources

Confirm that you are at the correct field, at the proper time/day; Call/text the missing person (contact information should be listed in US Officials and in BAYS); Notify the Referee Director; Explain the situation to the coach and adjust accordingly so that the game can be played if possible.

• Check your equipment (jersey, whistle, watch, pen/paper, cards (BAYS only);
• Check the field (goal nets, field lines, corner flags/cones, no trash);
• Check the coaches (current ID, GK jersey/pinnie, confirm length of half)
• Check the players (shoes, socks, shin guards, shirt; no jewelry);
• Check the ball (sufficiently inflated).
• And, organize the pre-game sportsmanship statement and handshakes.

The home team coach, or a player from the home team, reads the statement to the parents/spectators. Referees organize the walk across the field and the pre-game handshakes between the players.

A player must wear shoes that are safe. Sneakers or cleats are generally fine. Sandals, crocs, hiking boots, and open-toed shoes are not safe and thus not permitted.

No. Hard casts and jewelry are not permitted in BAYS or In-Town games. The only exception to the jewelry policy is a religious item or a medical bracelet, both of which must be secured to the player’s body.

Yes, if the hat poses no danger to the player or to other players on the field, and it is secure. A soft hat (e.g., ski hat) for warmth is generally fine. A brim hat for the goalie is OK if the brim is soft. A bucket hat can fly off or interfere with a player’s vision, as well as interfere with heading at Grade 7 or above. Hoodie sweatshirts should be tucked inside the player’s jersey.

Water breaks are required by Mass Youth Soccer when the temperature reaches certain levels; see https://mayouthsoccer.org/safe-soccer/. This situation should be discussed prior to the game between referee and both coaches. Referee should wait for a natural stoppage of play midway through the half, then declare a 2-minute timeout. The clock continues to run during the timeout.

No. You always blow the whistle for a kickoff or a foul. You use your discretion about whether to whistle a goal kick, corner kick, or throw-in. If the ball is clearly out of bounds and the players all stop playing, then a whistle may not be necessary. Use the whistle when it’s needed—for example, when there is uncertainty about whether the ball went over the line.

Parents/spectators should remain on the opposite side of the field from players/coaches. A brief visit to deliver a water bottle or help with equipment is OK so long as it’s not a distraction.

Yes. The rule is similar to that if the ball hits the goalpost or crossbar.

Each BAYS team must arrive with two copies of a current, approved paper roster that lists the players on the team and their unique jersey numbers, as well as coach names and the division (e.g., Girls Grade 6 D4). Player names must be printed—no hand-written additions.

• Coaches have a 15-minute grace period to produce a paper roster before the game begins. If no paper roster is available, referee should allow the game to proceed and tell the coach that the absence of a paper roster will be noted in the game report. In the absence of a paper roster, coaches should present an electronic version of the roster, which is accessible online to each team coach at the BAYS website. Referees should have a picture or electronic copy of the roster, in case player numbers are needed for a misconduct report. In the absence of an electronic roster, the coach should write down a list of player names, jersey number, and game ID#.
• After the game, the referee shall complete the game report to indicate that the game did NOT officially kick off or go to full time because the coach did not have a paper roster. In the comments section at the end of the game report, the referee should briefly explain what happened. The referee should also record the outcome of the game (e.g., Arlington 4, Belmont 1). The BAYS Division Director will review the game report and make a decision about its final outcome (generally a forfeit against the team that was missing the paper roster).
• The paper roster is crucial to ensure that the correct participants are in the game. It also provides insurance and liability for the participants, including the referees. If a team uses guest players, the process above is applicable.

BAYS and In-Town games generally use a running clock, so that successive games will start on time. So for most games, once you start your watch, it will run continuously until the half ends. If you have a serious injury (3+ minutes), you could talk to the coaches about adjusting the length of the half. The two halves should be the same length whenever possible.

The rules for when players can substitute may vary from league to league, so be sure that you know what they are for your assignment. In general, players can substitute on any goal kick, after any goal, on an injury, and on their own throw-in.

• Confirm with coaches prior to the match that substitutions must happen from midfield (not from the bench).
• Confirm that AR1 (for BAYS) or the alternate referee (for In-Town) will check with players who want to substitute, will count how many for each team, and will alert the referee at the appropriate time.
• Referee should stop play prior to substitution. Use your whistle, voice, and/or hand signal to make clear that a substitution is happening.
• Wave the players off, and the substitutes on. Get visual confirmation from AR1/alternate referee that the substitutions are fully complete. Use your whistle, voice, and/or hand signals to restart play. NEVER allow play to begin until you and the players are ready. If that happens, stop play and restart when all is ready.

Game Reports should be filed within 24 hours of the game, so generally by Sunday night.

No, because they already shook hands prior to the match. But if the teams want to shake hands post-match, then referees supervise that process. Players/coaches may also want to thank the referee crew.