Upgrading to USSF State Referee (Grade 6 or Higher)

From Tom Chapman…UPGRADING TO STATE REFEREE
The SRC has formalized the process of advancing to State Referee.  Some referees have already begun the process and they will not be penalized by the new procedures.  Please follow the guidelines below if you plan on upgrading to State Referee grade 6 in either 2016 or 2017.

To upgrade in 2016: All requirements should have been met by this time.  You must have been designated as a grade 7A for the 2015 registration cycle.  If you have met the requirements then please send an e-mail to the SRA, Tom Chapman, at " target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> with the following information:
Your name.  Include your e-mail and the phone numbers where you may be reached.
The date that you attended an upgrade clinic.
The date that you passed the State Referee Test.
The date that you passed the fitness test.  (Must have been in the 2015 calendar year.)
The dates that you passed the two center and one AR assessments.  (Must have been in the last 18 months.)
Your total game count broken down by age groups including the dates, location and competition of the games.  You need a minimum of seventy-five U-17 or higher centers and twenty-five U-17 or higher lines.  However, the SRA may waive this requirement if you can demonstrate consistent proficiency at the higher levels.  For example, centers on U-15 or U-16 at State Cup or Regional Championships may be included at the sole discretion of the SRA.

The SRA will advise you if you have met the necessary requirements to advance in 2016 or if you need to wait to advance in later years.

To Upgrade in 2017
You must make a declaration by December 1, 2015.
Your candidate year will be 2016 in which you will complete all of your requirements.  You must be registered and designated as a grade 7A for your candidate year! This means that all requirements for a 7A must be met prior to December 31.

To declare, send an e-mail to the SRA stating that you wish to be considered for upgrade to State Referee.  Give a brief description of your officiating career.  Include your total game count broken down by age groups including the dates, location and competition of the games.  You need a minimum of seventy-five U-17 or higher centers and twenty-five U-17 or higher lines to advance.  The SRA may waive the requirements or may tell you that you must also meet certain additional requirements, such as X number of adult centers, during your candidate year.

If the SRA accepts your application then he will give you a formal declaration form to complete.  In addition you will receive an access code for the State Upgrade Master clinic.   You must register for this clinic and pay the assessment fee by December 31.
This is not a clinic that you attend but rather a compilation of the requirements necessary to successfully advance.  The appropriate administrator will check off the individual requirements as they are met.  Please refer back to this often so you know exactly what you must complete to advance.

PLEASE NOTE:  You must register for and be designated as a grade 7A during your candidate year.  You have the sole responsibility to ensure that you meet the requirements.

In addition to game count, you must do the following:
Pass a fitness test during your candidate year.
Attend a State Referee upgrade clinic.  Clinic attendance is good for 2 years which means you will still get credit if you attended a clinic in the year before your candidate year.
Pass a State Referees exam during your candidate year.
Pass two assessments as a center referee and one as an assistant referee.  Assessment normally have to be completed during your candidate year but with the implementation for 2016 and 2017, assessments passed after July 1, 2015 will still count for upgrade in 2017.  Persons that do not pass the assessments may be required to pay an additional assessment fee for subsequent assessments.