Team Referee Requirements

It is the goal of the league to ensure that our players and the game of soccer are served by having a full crew of appropriately experienced referees for every match.

Team referees are the backbone of the league’s referee corps.  While we do get help from some unaffiliated professional referees, more than 90% of games played on our fields must be covered by volunteer team referees.

These requirements are based on current playing schedules in various competitions and have been formulated to create a sustainable model that will meet our goal of providing a full crew of referees for every game.

Referee-Team Affiliation - Updated September 2018
  • Jack London requires each team to have minimum one referee licensed by USSF affiliated with their team as of September 23, 2018. 
  • Each season, referees must setup an affiliation with their team in SportLynx.  The instructions for this procedure can be found here. Contact your Club Referee Coordinators for help in finding an affiliated referee.
  • The referee coordinators will give priority to neutral referees (referees who are unaffiliated with either team or who have no family members playing in the match) when assigning officials for each match.  As a general guideline, team-affiliated referees are encouraged to come prepared to step in to work games for which they are qualified. 
  • If no referee has been assigned 24hrs before kick-off, the following procedures apply:
    • Recreational teams:  Coaches should come to an agreement on who will officiate the match.
    • Competitive teams:  Follow the instructions from the competition organizers.  In general the Visiting Team has the right to provide refs.  If affiliated refs are used, the Visiting Team may state they are playing under protest before the match begins.
    • In both cases match results are reported normally.  The affiliated referees will receive full pay and credit if they were properly licensed, in uniform, and confirmed by Jack London Assignor after the match.

Game Credit Requirements - Fall 2019 Season
(Updated 2019.08.22)

Competitive Teams
  • U8-U12                                   7 credits
  • U13-U19                                18 credits
Recreational Teams
  • U10-U12                                  7 credits
  • U14-U19                                15 credits

Penalties
  • Teams without an affiliated referee by the start of the season will not be allowed to schedule games for which they are designated as the Home Team on Jack London fields. If games have already been scheduled, they will be cancelled until a team affiliated referee is assigned. Club Referee Coordinators are responsible for monitoring and approving exceptions to this rule.
  • Fine:  $30 fine per game credit not earned
  • Entry into the JLYSL end-of-season Recreational Tournament is contingent on having met team referee requirements.
Exemptions
  • USDA teams are exempt from this requirement (refs provided by USDA)
  • As of Spring 2019, there are no longer any u8/u9/u10 first season exemptions.
Game Credits
  • All assignments (center or assistant) receive 1 credit
Compliance periods are August-February and March-July
At the conclusion of these playing periods, fines will be calculated based on games records contained in MySoccerLeague.com and assessed to each club.

Referee-Team Affiliation
Each season, referees must setup an affiliation with their team in SportLynx.  The instructions for this procedure can be found here.