How to Train to Be a Football Referee

You may have wanted to be a professional athlete when you were a child. For one reason or another, however, these dreams just didn't come true. You don't necessarily have to be an athlete in order to be on the field, though. Football referees have the best seat on the field and they are involved with every play. It may look easy on TV but being a football referee is actually quite challenging.

Instructions

1. Learn the basic rules of football. For example, you should know how teams score and you should also be able to spot penalties while watching a game either on television or in the stands. Remember that specific rules, such as the length of a football field, can vary based upon the age of the football players or the league.

2. Get into good cardiovascular shape. As a football referee, you will spend hours at a time on your feet and much of that time will be spent either jogging or sprinting down the field. You don't need to have world record speed but you should be able to run long distances in a short amount of time without getting winded. This is necessary as you'll need to keep up with the athletes on the field in order to make the correct calls.

3. Contact your local football referees association. These organizations are located in counties, towns and cities throughout the United States. Your local referees/officials organization will be able to offer referee training and will also help you locate referee jobs in your area.

4. Complete the course recommended to you by your local officials association. The courses may vary based on which league you hope to officiate (youth football, high school football). These courses will teach you all you need to know about being a football referee, including football rules, how to call penalties and how to deal with difficult situations (such as a fight on the field).

5. Begin refereeing football games at the bottom and work your way up the ladder. Nobody starts off as a football referee in the NFL, after all. You will most likely have to referee local high school games to start. After a few years, you may be able to move on up to college football games. Be flexible and willing to take any assignments that are offered to you. There is no better referee job training than on the field training, after.

Tips & Warnings

• Search for different referee assignments during the football off-season. This could include indoor football games or summer youth football games. This will look good on a resume and help you improve upon your skills.