Soccer Referee Opportunities Available for Teens

By being a soccer ref, kids earn money, get exercise and have some fun on the field

By Barbara Russo October 17, 2022

Calling all junior sports fans! Soccer referee opportunities for teens are now available throughout New York State—providing a way for kids to earn money, get exercise and have some fun on the field.

The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is seeking new grassroots referees to be in the middle as refs and/or on the line as assistant referees in soccer games throughout the state.

Youth soccer refs earn up to $100 per game, but most start out with games that pay $30-50.

“Refereeing is a great opportunity,” Randy Vogt, director of public relations at ENYYSA, said. “I started when I was 16 years old and still officiating today at 60.”

Candidates must become certified through online classes and field sessions. Classes are ongoing because the demand for refs is so great, Vogt said.

“All over New York City, Long Island and Westchester, wherever there is a soccer field, there is likely to be games with refs,” Vogt said.

The minimum age is 14 years old to become certified.

Kids who become refs learn to manage people, be their own boss by going directly to the customer (players, coaches and leagues), stay or get fit and make new friends, all while earning money. Working with assignors, kids will set their schedules based on their availability.

The ENYYSA is a nonprofit organization that promotes and enhances the game of soccer for kids and teens. Stretching from Montauk Point, Long Island, to the Canadian border, members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81.

The organization has approximately 100,000 soccer players—both boys and girls—and more than 25,000 volunteers.

For more information on upcoming courses near you, contact State Youth Referee Administrator Piero Olcese at [email protected].

Main image courtesy Long Island Soccer Referees Association