How to Become a Football Referee

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Lawal McCray Senior. I'm the head football coach at Blanche Ely High School. We're located in Pompano Beach, Florida. How to become a referee. Well, first what you want to do is start off with the pee-wee and high school levels. Go around and find out what associations are in your area, and apply to go for their training, and once you become the referee, work as many games as possible. The more games you work, the more efficient you will be with the skills of the game. Now, a very important component of being a referee is being able to stay even tempered and in control at all times, especially during a high paced, or fast paced, game. Becoming a referee and moving up takes a few years, so the more you work, they better you'll become. Another note, there are many associations for refereeing. You have your local associations, your state associations, and also a national association. Join these associations and go to the various trainings they have through out your state and the country. The more you go to, the more you're exposed to different people and different referees, you expose yourself to more opportunities. Attempt to move up to collegiate level, and also, levels such as the arena football leagues, some of the professional leagues, and while you're doing this, you're gaining the experience needed to build your resume. Then once you've done this, you've put yourself in position to apply for the major collegiate levels of refereeing, and even an opportunity to possibly coach in professional levels. Now, referee is a great, great job, especially if you love the game of football and your playing days are over. Now, the thing is, if you want to referee, you must understand that you may take a lot of abuse. The losing team loses because of the referee, as they say. So, understand, that's what you want to do, and you have a love for the game, you must have a temperament for that. And also ladies, its' available for you also, so please feel free to search out different jobs in your area, and become a referee. We need as many as possible. We need good ones."