How to Become a Professional Referee

If you are a huge sports fan with detailed knowledge of the rules and regulations of a particular sport, you could become a professional referee. A professional referee can enjoy a lucrative career if he works hard and has patience.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

1. Learn as much as you can about your favorite sport. You must know all the rules of the game whether it's football, basketball, soccer, boxing or whatever sport you enjoy. Become an expert in that field.

2. Take classes in communication, management, leadership and motivation. To become a professional referee, you must be an excellent leader who communicates well when you supervise athletic events. You must be able to make quick decisions.

3. Volunteer to be a referee in your community. Start at small events. Youth sports teams in your community or the local gym that trains boxers are good opportunities. Some towns have football youth programs that provide free classes to train referees. Take advantage of as many different training classes as possible.

4. Have someone make videos of you as you referee. Study those videos, compare them to professional game videos and learn where you need to improve. Have experienced referees evaluate your game videos. Ask for advice on your performance.

5. Work your way up from volunteer work to paid community referee. From there, you can work up to high school referee, then college. If you do exceptionally well on the college level, the professionals will notice and doors will open up for you.

Tips & Warnings

• Take advantage of as many clinics, training sessions, classes and meetings for referees as you possibly can in your community.