2024 LCYSA Gameday Instructions

2024 LCYSA Referee Expectations

Officials—referees and assistant referees—must be CONSISTENT in (1) their application of the Laws of the Game and (2) the administrative requirements of LCYSA.

When we are INCONSISTENT, we create unnecessary problems with coaches and players in our games. We also create unnecessary problems for each other.

Before Your Game

Please be on time. Arriving 30 minutes prior to your first scheduled match is appropriate. If you are going to be late, please communicate with your crew.
All referees and assistant referees should have a pen/pencil and game card to document goals and misconduct. Also, they should all have a watch. They should not be wearing jewelry (a plain wedding band is acceptable).
Check the field and goals for safety concerns. Goals must be anchored to the ground and nets secured to the goals. You may be able to correct minor problems with the nets. If not, note them in your game report.
Politely introduce yourselves to coaches and players as a referee team. Straggling out one or two at a time does not set a professional tone.

Player and Coach Check-In:

Rosters must be titled "2024 Roster" and have a 2024 timestamp in the bottom left-hand corner. Coaches have been instructed to list the jersey numbers on the roster. If they have not done so, please remind them and note in your game report.
All player passcards should be laminated and in alphabetical order as the names appear on the roster. If either of these steps are not done, please remind them and note in your game report.
All coaches who are present in the technical area must be wearing a lanyard with their coach card in the sleeve. There is a maximum of four coaches per team. Any adult in the technical area who does not have a passcard before or during the game must be asked to move to the spectator side of the field. Also, politely ask spectators not to stand behind the goals.
With the two limited exceptions described below, no player or coach may participate without both a passcard and their name listed on the printed roster.
- Exception 1: A team may use a Club Pass for a maximum of three players if the appropriate documentation is provided. The pass will have a red seal (if not, it may not be used). When used, player names must be handwritten on a roster. A Club Pass may only be used once. The referee must collect it with the roster and retain it at the end of the game.
- Exception 2: On rare occasions, LCYSA will provide an Official Waiver allowing a player or coach to participate without being listed on the roster and/or without a player/coach card.
When you check player equipment pay extra attention to: (1) No jewelry—including taped earrings—is allowed. (2) All players must be wearing shin guards that offer an appropriate degree of protection. (3) Check that the jersey worn by the goalkeeper is clearly different to the jerseys worn by the outfield players of both teams.

During Your Game

Apply the LCYSA Zero Tolerance Policy. Collaborate with coaches to address inappropriate behavior by spectators. Understand and apply the three-step enforcement procedure. Inconsistency in how referees apply the Zero Tolerance Policy is the single greatest cause of problems for fellow officials.
Player safety is very important. If a player is injured, expect coaches and parents to be concerned and/or emotional. Recognize that a player is injured promptly and stop the game if necessary. Remind coaches that they are only allowed to enter the field to attend to an injured player with the permission of the referee. They are most likely to enter the field uninvited if, in their opinion, the referee has been slow to recognize the injury or misjudges its severity.

Referee and Assistant Referee Mechanics:

All three officials should make eye contact at every stoppage (unless the situation demands they focus on something else).
When a legal goal has been scored, the lead assistant referee should make eye contact with referee and quickly sprint up the field (no flag signal). Raise the flag before sprinting to indicate that the ball has only just fully crossed the goal line.
Referees must make eye contact with AR if a goal or probable goal is scored, no matter how obvious.
If assistant referees raise their flag to signal an foul or misconduct, they must remain stationary and leave the flag up until the referee sees you. If they raise a flag for offside, keep the flag up until the referee sees it or until the defending team clearly gains control of the ball and moves it away from their goal.
Assistant referees should stand on the goal side of the player taking the throw in. At other times, they should stand or move facing the field and watch play—focusing on their primary responsibilities of offside and balls in/out of play.
At U12 and above, there should be no second chances to repeat a throw in performed incorrectly.
At halftime, retain the ball and return it to the field for the kick off.

Substitutions:

Either team may substitute on any stoppage after having made a request to the assistant referee. Substitutes must be standing at the halfway line. On rare occasions at older age levels the referee may deny a substitution request if it is clearly designed to delay an attack by the opposing team—when this happens, the substitute is not at the halfway line at the time the request is made.
Assistant referees should not hold the flag above their head after the referee acknowledges that a substitution has been requested. Assistant referees should move to the halfway line to administer the substitutions.
Assistant referees and referees must make every effort to keep substitutes from entering the field before the substituted players have left the field. When several players are substituting make certain—by counting the players—that the game will restart with the correct number of players.

After Your Game

Return the passcards to the coaches. If a red card is issued, retain that card and deliver it to the LCYSA office asap. Retain the roster to assist the referee in reporting the score and misconduct in Arbiter as well as any unusual incidents.
Referees must complete the game report in Arbiter within 24 hours.
Game fees will be paid through Arbiter on Mondays if all match reports have been filed.
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