Step 1: Register as a volunteer in the AYSO National database through www.ayso120.org. Click “Register Now” and sign up as a Volunteer. If you are earning referee points for your child's team under volunteer opportunities click the appropriate program and division. If you are a youth referee or do not have a child in the program under volunteer opportunities select 2024-2025 Referee.  Print a copy of your completed volunteer form for your files and be sure to submit the background check for Sterling Volunteers.

Step 2: Once a registered volunteer click on the Volunteer page in your profile and click on AYSOU. In AYSOU go to the Training Library and click on Refereeing and take the Regional Referee Online + In-Person Companion Course. You can come to the in person referee class once you have completed this training. If you want to take the course sooner than our scheduled training you can email [email protected] 

Step 3: To become a certified volunteer you will also need to complete the additional requirements listed on your volunteer profile; SafeSport, AYSO Safe Haven, Sudden Cardiac Arrest and CDC Concussion Awareness. From the volunteer page in your profile click on AYSOU, go to the Training Library and click on Safe Haven. You can take most of the classes as chapters so you can do the training in smaller bites. To take the SafeSport Training go to your volunteer page and click the box next to SafeSport and then scroll to the bottom and click renew and update. Be sure your pop-up blockers are disabled since this will take you to a new page.

Step 4: To become a trained Regional Referee you need to complete the 3 hour in-person "Regional Referee In Person + Online Companion Course". In AYSOU click on Training Event; In the top row x out of Region 120, put Costa Mesa in Location and click on Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA  under courses put in Referee and click on Regional Referee In Person + Online Companion Course this will show you all of the local 3 hour in person Companion Referee Courses. Click on the course that works best for you and click Enroll. The instructor will send you an email reminder a few days before the class you registered to (using the email address you entered in www.ayso120.org). Attend the class you signed up for. A record of your attendance will be entered into the AYSO National database. AYSO Region 120 will reimburse fees for referee training as long as the fees are pre-approved by our Referee Administrator.

Step 5: Complete the LiveScan fingerprint process for AYSO. You should receive an email with instructions. You only need to be fingerprinted one time as an AYSO Volunteer.

AYSO is a volunteer-run organization. Coaches, referees and administrators are volunteers. Over 125,000 parents, neighbors, relatives and friends lend their time and talents so that each child gets a terrific AYSO experience.

AYSO's volunteer foundation ensures that it's all about what's good for kids. It also makes AYSO very affordable. AYSO operates in a business manner, but volunteers ensure its "profits" are happy, healthy kids playing a sport they can enjoy for life.

AYSO has developed special training that helps parents who may have little or no soccer experience quickly gain the age-appropriate knowledge and skills they need to be effective coaches and referees. It also has unique administrative and management training. This ensures that each community program:

• Abides by the AYSO philosophies
• Offers a great AYSO experience
• Continues to grow, offering the AYSO opportunity to more children

It only takes a few hours to become qualified as an introductory-level coach or referee. But if you're not able to commit even that much time, there are many small jobs you can help with. Even a couple of hours each season are an important contribution to your team and Region!

AYSO training doesn't stop as long as you're having fun. Referees, coaches and administrators have clinics, workshops and other advanced training available to advance their skills.

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