Challenge - You never know how good you are until you challenge yourself to become better. The attempt to upgrade will make you a better official as you will receive more instruction/feedback from more assessors and higher level referees. If you stay at Grade 8, the only feedback you will receive is from parents who think they know more than they do! Opportunity - As you upgrade you'll receive more opportunities to officiate at higher levels. You may be given the opportunity to travel to other parts of the state, other states, or even internationally. Want to know how it feels to step onto the pitch at RFK Stadium to officiate a match? It doesn't happen to referees who stay at Grade 8! Variety - The higher your level, the more variety of games you'll have. As a Grade 3, I can officiate a high school match on Friday night, a U12 girls match Saturday morning, and a Professional level match Sunday afternoon. Trust me, officiating at the same level all the time, even at the professional level, does not help you grow as an official. Eventually, you get bored doing the same games and your game suffers. Friendships - It's hard to meet other officials when you only referee one-official games! The more levels of play you officiate, the more friendships you'll form. Coaches, players, and fans will recognize and respect you and you'll all enjoy the game more. I have as much fun being with FIFA and World Cup referees like Brian Hall, Esse Baharmast, George Vergara, Sandra Hunt, and Vinnie Mauro, as I do with new Grade 8 and 7 referees looking to be mentored. Upgrading gives you the chance to make more friendships that will last a lifetime!

Tim Ehrsam, National Referee

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