| Age group | U18/U19 | U16 | U13/14 | U11/U12 | U9/U10 |
| Number of players | 11v11 | 11v11 | 11v11 | 8v8 | 6v6 |
| Minimum # to start game | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Minimum # to continue play | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Length of half (minutes) | 45 | 40 | 35 | 30 | 30 |
| Ball size | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Offside rule? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Penalty kick distance (yds) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 8 |
Referees
MYS Seeks Feedback – Referee Skills
Please provide us with your feedback on referee skills by email directed to Referee Director, Steve Corrigan. Please include Coach Name, Game Day, Game Time, Game Location, Indication if comments can be shared.
Zero Tolerance
Check out these videos by Mass Youth Soccer on Referee Intimidation Attitudes are contagious: Part 1 Part 2
Referee General Information
Youths age 12 to Adult are eligible to referee MYS games. Pre-Requisites – Referees must be certified by either MYS intown course or Mass State Referee Committee (MSRC) Referees for travel games(grade 9 or 8). Once a referee is certified by MSRC they must register with BAYS to be assigned games within their town and surrounding towns.
It is very important for parents and referees to understand referees are assigned games based on the need of the Mansfield Youth Soccer games. There are a defined number of games available for assignment. MYS strives to keep a healthy pool of available and capable referees. MYS reserves the right to NOT add new referees to the pool until the need for more referees is supported by available games. This may result in new referees waiting a year before games will be assigned or limited games being assigned. Each year referees leave from the pool so openings become available on a yearly basis starting with the fall season. Before you take the certification course MYS strongly suggests you contact the MYS assignors confirming if there is a wait list for new referees.
MSRC Referee Site contains step by step information on how to register for referee courses. You must first complete the course then you register with BAYS to be assigned games. See FAQ for more information.
BAYS Referee Site contains step by step information on how to become a travel referee for BAYS. This step is to register with BAYS so you can be assigned games and will be paid by BAYS. This site also offers a user guide for referees.
Referee Shadowing Program
MYS has established a shadowing program to be rolled out Spring 2013. The program consists of first time referees shadowing experienced refs, referencing a checklist during the game and reviewing the checklist with an experienced referee or referee director after the game. The new referee will physically shadow the experienced referee during the pre-game checks then will observe the game from the sidelines. The objective of the program is to better prepare the inexperience referees for “real” game situations. Requirements for shadowing are based on referees age, referee previous experience and soccer experience.
The MYS referee director will notify the new referee of the games they will be asked to shadow. Instructions and expectations will be covered by the Referee Director. Checklist Form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Age Group Comparison Chart
Yes we recommend this video FIFA
You must first obtain the required intown certification.
1) Sign up for Intown information session
a. Courses are offered at least once a year the last week of August before the Fall season
b. Some years when the referee pool is low, a second course will be offered before the Spring season
2) From the course your name will be submitted into the Referee pool
Please Note: If a referee receives their MSRC grade 9 certification they are allowed to start referring intown games without attending the intown certification course but they are expected to review the intown course information before in preparation of referring intown games. Intown Course Information Download
1) Attend and Pass Mass Referee Official Grade 9(age 12-15) or Grade 8 (age 16 +) Course – obtain certification
2) Sign up on BAYS to be assigned to Mansfield Referee Registration BAYS website
a. Check your name is in PENDING status
3) Fill in SSN in order to be paid by BAYS
4) Send email to Mansfield Youth Soccer travel assignor indicating you have signed up on the BAYS site and indicator full name and certification number (email of Ref assignor is on the board page)
5) Check after a few weeks the BAYS referee page to look for your assignment request to be approved and for games to be assigned
a. If not approved after 2 weeks send another email to MYS Ref assignor, If your name is not submitted into PENDING 2 weeks before the start of fall or spring season your request to referee may wait until the following season.
Please Note: If a referee receives their MSRC grade 9 or 8 certification they are allowed to start referring travel games without attending the intown certification course but they are expected to review the intown course information before in preparation of referring intown games. Intown Course Information Download
Travel Yearly Recertification Link to MRSC Page
Referee recertification must be complete and filed with MYS referee assignor before January of a new year. MYS recommends the recertification course offered at a fall Revolution game.
USSF requires that every referee must recertify every year. recertification runs from JULY to DECEMBER – the 5 hour – annual clinics are available for sign up from July 1st; by logging into your MassRef account at www.massref.net 20 clinics are scheduled – you can attend any clinic on the schedule.
Intown referees do not need to re-certify the intown course.
Yellow Jersey is the primary and many of the Mansfield referees have black as the secondary.
Travel
If your request to ref was made at least 2 weeks before the season begins you should hear from the referee assignor 1 week before the season begins.
· You will receive email assignments for games each week
· You must accept the game within 24 hours
Intown
On Sunday evenings, the following Saturday’s schedule is emailed to the pool list of intown certified referees requesting all ref’s to respond with their availability by Tuesday at 5pm. Games will be filled first reply, first assigned.
By Wednesday morning, the updated schedule with assignments is emailed requesting all assigned referees to confirm games by Thursday at 5:00pm.
First come, first serve and assign according the order emails are received.
Intown Certified – Intown Games
- Small Sided $10.00
- 6v6 $10.00
- 8v8 $10.00
Travel Certified – Intown Games
- Small Sided $15.00
- 6v6 $15.00
- 8v8 $15.00
Travel Certified – Travel (BAYS) Games
- 6v6 $20.00
- 8v8 center $30.00
- 8v8 AR $15.00
- 11v11 center $40.00
- 11v11 AR $24.00
Fall games – All referees are paid by MYS once at the end of the season
Spring games – Intown referees are paid by MYS once at the end of the season
Travel referees (BAYS games) are paid by BAYS for 6v6 center, 8v8 center, 11v11 center
Travel referees (BAYS games) are paid by MYS for 8v8 AR, 11v11 AR once at the end of the season
All youth referees are expected to progress to a Center Referee after Assistant Refereeing between 4 and 16 games.
Referee assignor has the authority to assign games based on these expectations.
Suggested guidelines for shadowing requirements:
Certified Intown –
Small Sided Games Ages 12-13 – Referees with NO previous game experience Shadow 2 games,1 game no checklist,1 game checklist
6v6 Games Ages 12-13 – Referees > 4 previous lower level game experience Shadow 1 game, checklist required
6v6 or 8v8 Games Ages 14-16 – Referees with NO previous game experience Shadow 2 games,1 game no checklist,1 game checklist
6v6 or 8v8 Games Ages 14-16 – Referees > 4 previous lower level game experience Shadow 1 game, checklist required
Certified Travel –
6v6 or 8v8 Ages 12-16 – Referees with NO previous game experience Shadow 2 games,1 game no check list,1 game checklist
11 v11 Ages 15-16 – Referees with NO previous experience Shadow 2 games,1 game no check list ,1 game checklist
6v6, 8v8 Ages 12-16 – Referees >4 previous lower level game experience Shadow 30 minutes, checklist required
11 v11 Ages 12-16 – Referees >4 previous lower level game experience Shadow 1 game, checklist required
6v6, 8v8 or 11 v11 Ages 15-16 – Referees with HS playing experience Shadow 30 minutes, checklist required
Grade 8 referees Age 16 and above No Shadowing required
* Exceptions may be made by the referee assignor based on predefined guidelines
Yes definitely, MYS proudly supports student referees striving for National Honor Society as well as many other extra curricular activities.
Yes, MYS receives requests for referees from coaches who schedule preseason scrimmages. These scrimmages are great opportunities for referees to dust off the rust and get some practice refereeing under controlled and less competitive game situations. Scrimmages are not paid games unless coaches and referees agree among themselves.
If you would like to referee one of these scrimmages please contact Referee Director/Assignor.
