Welcome to the Delaware Soccer Officials Association new referee program. Below is the procedure for becoming eligible to officiate interscholastic matches in New Castle County, Delaware. Please read the entire page and then follow the directive as indicated.
- Send an email to DSOA that you are interested in being an official
- Follow the instructions provided
- Pay dues as directed by the Treasurer
Arbiter Sports
- Accept your invitation to join DSOA from the ArbiterSports Welcome Notice email
- Put in your profile information in ArbiterSports.com
- Put date/time blocks and travel limits into ArbiterSports
- Email the Assignor your experience and your availability
- Inform the Assignor you are ready to be assigned
- Be prepared for pre-season scrimmages (as assigned)
- The Assignor will register you with DIAA for access to the DIAA HUB
DIAA Requirements
- Take the NFHS Concussion Course – DIAA requires each official to take it before they can referee any HS games. Please forward your certificate of completion to the Secretary. You will need to order the course (which is free) before you can take it. It will take you roughly 25 minutes to finish it. Here is the link to the course: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/61064/concussion-in-sports NOTE: YOU CAN NOT BE ON THE FIELD WITHOUT TAKING THIS COURSE.
- Take the NFHS Test. – Part I is the practice test, and will not count. You can take Part I up to 25 times to practice. You need to take Test Part II in order to be able to referee. You can take this twice to pass. An 85% is the passing grade. The test is available in DragonFly.
- Take the DIAA Rules Clinic. – This is a mandatory meeting. However, if it is impossible for you to attend you must notify the President you are unable to do so PRIOR TO THE MEETING. An online clinic will only be offered to those who have made the notification.
GAME ASSIGNMENTS
Please read the referee manual. You are responsible for understanding the content.(Referee Manual) The Assignor will assign the level of game dependent on referee capabilities and experience.
FAQs
When are the games? Most of the games start at 3:30, 3:45 or 4:00, and some JV games and isolated CYM games at 5:00-5:30 during the week. On Saturdays there are some isolated games at the JV level. But the real need for you would be on the Saturday CYM games, at any of three levels—Instruction (3rd-5th grades), JV (6th-7th grades), and Varsity (7th-8th grades). The Varsity level also plays on Sunday from noon to 6:00 pm.
What is the pay rate? Current rates are $77 for HS Varsity (40-minute halves), $56 for JV and Freshman (30-minute halves), and $55 for Middle School (30-minute halves or less upon agreement by coaches). CYM rates are $47 for Varsity, $35 for JV, and $30 for Instructional. Most games are two-person games except the CYM Instructional games, one official only. If for some reason you need to work a game alone (not likely as you are new), the rate is 1-1/2 times the standard rate.
How and when do we paid? You will get paid for the CYM Instructional games at the field on the day of the game, by check or cash. The rest of the games are paid through a direct deposit or by other optional methods, which can be explained by the Treasurer. Payments are made twice per season. Payment is predicated on collection of funds from schools, but we have historically paid all officials approximately 30 days after the season ends.
What are the dues? Dues are paid via DragonFly for DIAA and NFHS upon sign up. You also will have DSOA dues deducted for next year from your first paysheet. We collect dues one full year in advance, but are refundable if you let us know by July 1 that you will not be returning to officiate.
Are there any other fees? You must pay the Assignor for the work he or she does. It is 6.5% of the game fee, and is taken automatically from each game that is paid through ArbiterSports. No assigning fee is collected from the officials for CYM Instructional games.
What kind of uniform do we wear? USSF Uniforms. See Uniform Policy