Category Archives: Important Information

Spring 2024 Week 1

Check your schedule. Check your Schedule. Games and Fields changed and your game may have moved or dropped.

BE EARLY – At least 30 minutes prior to your first game. Coaches, and your crew mates, get worried and start calling me, and I am working games too.

FEES
Print the Fee Schedule and keep it with you. Home team pays full amount.

No Dogs: Schools do not allow animals on their fields. Please ask the coach to ask the parent to remove the animals. We rent the fields from the schools and can not risk losing the fields due to an animal. At City Park fields, animals should be at least 15 yards away from the field. 

PLAYER CARDS

Player Cards are not required the first weekend. Many coaches will have player cards. Some will not.

RULES
If you’ve never done U8 before, REVIEW THE Build Out line rules.

Recreational: NO HEADING in U8, U9, U10 or U12
 

UNIFORMS
There are some Rec players who were added late and don’t yet have a uniform. They may play in any shirt that’s generally the same color as their team, or an appropriate pinnie. JUSA home teams have pinnies if there is a color conflict.

Substitutions:

JUSA Recreational U8, U9, and U10 play QUARTERS in the spring. Substitutions may ONLY be made at the quarter break. Since all players must play at least 3 quarters, you should mark the players sitting out each quarter on the game card so that if you attempt to mark a player sitting out for a second quarter, you can remind the coach of the mandatory, minimum play time requirements.
All other age groups and all Gold matches allow unlimited substitutions at any stoppage. Players must play at least 50% of the game – a responsibility of the coach to maintain, but point out any obvious issues.

Field Conditions
If field lines are faint, use cones to mark sidelines and boxes.

Game Cards: Coaches should hand you a completed card for you to check players against cards. 

Have Fun! Have Fun!

Fall 2023 Week 8

All: here are a few reminders for this weekend. 

1) Sideline Behavior 

Managing adults at a youth game can be difficult. Always be polite.

Here is the recommended procedure for handling irresponsible behavior.
1. Say “Please”
2.  Say “Please”
3. Coach, irresponsible behavior is not acceptable. (Warning)
4. Behavior continues, issue a Yellow Card (Caution) to the Coach.
5. Behavior continues, issue a Red Card (Send-off) to the Coach.  

If the spectators are acting irresponsibly, ask them once “Please.”   Do not engage in any further discussion.  If the behavior does not improve, go to the coach and follow the above steps.

If you are no longer in control of the match, suspend it (Blow whistle 2 times), call the coaches together, away from everyone else (center circle works), explain to them they have a choice get control of their side or you will terminate the match (abandon is now used in the Laws) and report the incident to me. 

2) JUSA Rec Cards

Check player cards at check in. All teams should have cards now. If they don’t have cards, let them play but send me a note about the team and coach. Cards are an indication that they have insurance and are approved to play. 

3) Be at the Game 30 min early!

Coaches and refs start calling me when they don’t see refs at their games. Be respectful and get there early. Talk to coaches in pre game about game duration, sideline behavior. 

4) U8-U10: Subs: Talk to the coaches before the game and agree to sub at quarters. It ensures that all players play 3 quarters of the game as required by JUSA rules. Also, No punting at U8-U10. 
5) Call the U8-U10 games tight. Parents rather have whistles than worry about flow of the game. 
6) Stay Hydrated! 

FAll 2023 Week 7

All: Not too many weekends left to referee, so don’t be lazy this weekend. 
1) Check the schedule. Games and fields change

2) Be on time. Coaches and your fellow refs start calling me if you are late

3) Run, Run, Run! Keep up with the game, get some exercise! 

4) Focus on one improvement this weekend! could it be positioning?  pre game for coaches? Flags? or Communication with ARs?

5) Have fun! 

FAll 2023 Week 6

1) Just a few AR positions open on Sunday. Easy money to pay for all those Prime Day purchases! Self Assign. https://www.jusareferees.org/scheduler/messageBoard.php
2) Placentia Heritage Day is Saturday. Traffic will be different in the morning. Give yourself more time. 
3) ) Be Kind and Patient with parents, coaches and players. Rec players may still be learning and having fun. 
4) Don’t be afraid to call a foul. Have confidence. You know the laws!
5) Be early to the game. Believe it or not, coaches love to see the yellow jersey at the game. 
6) CSL League Cup games are on Sunday. I will send a separate note to those refs on fees and length of games.
7) Have Fun! Have Fun! Have Fun!

FAll 2023 Week 5

1) It will be hot! Take hydration breaks especially in the afternoon. Ask the coaches in pre game. 

2) Check player cards. Everyone should have them.

3) Run with the play! Don’t be a “center circle” ref and make sure if you are the center, run the field. Kids, coaches and parents will appreciate your energy and your close up viewpoint. You want to be neither too close nor too far from the action: 10-12 yards is a good rule of thumb. If you are the AR, run along the touchline, between the halfway line and the goal line, keeping level with the 2nd-to-last-defender or the ball, whichever is closer to the goal line. Keep up! 
4) Have Fun! Have Fun! 

Fall 2023 Week 4

Super thanks for being a JUSA ref this weekend. JUSA really appreciates it, and without you, 2000 children could not play soccer. 
With that being said, we are being paid well to be responsible, understand and apply the laws and keep the kids safe. 
Just a few reminders: 

1) if anyone asks for a hydration break, make sure you have one. 

2) Each team pays half, collect from each coach/team manager.

3) Have a good pregame with each coach: confirm length of game, substitutions, sideline behavior and “I may have a different angle than what you see”

4) JUSA teams have player cards. Check them. 

5) Be professional. Wear the full referee kit.

 6) if you have a CSL game, accept the game in the app. Centers are responsible for reporting the match in the CSL app. 

FAll 2023 Week 3

1) Check your schedule. Game times & Fields change.

 2) Each team pays half the fees. You should collect from both coaches.

3) The referee split is 40% for Center and 30% for ARs

4) U8-U10 games are broken into quarters with a running clock. Subs happen at the quarter. 

5) CSL Games: you are required to enter the game scores and match report on the CSL App. Player cards are required and you must line out players.

6) Don’t be afraid to whistle a foul! No one calls me to tell me the referee called too many fouls. 

7) All JUSA rec teams have player cards. Check them against the players. 

Fall 2023 Week 2

1) Check the schedule, check the schedule. Games, fields change

2) No Dogs, No Dogs. It is a school rule not a JUSA rule

3) JUSA Rec Player cards are not required this weekend but most coaches will have them. 

4) CSL matches require cards and you have to line out the players. See an earlier note to csl refs.

5) Pre game with coaches: cover 4 items 

a) confirm length of game ex 35 min

b) Coach is responsible for your sideline

c) Substitution rules (free subs on my whistle or at quarters)

d) Angles: I might have a different angle than you and see it differently.

6) Be early. Coaches get nervous and call me if they don’t see a yellow shirt!