This page is dedicated to the Match Officials that support Big Country Soccer Association (BCSA) and their local soccer communities. We value the relationship between BCSA and the Match Officials and recognize their critical presence in the BCSA Standards for Quality Soccer (SQS) program. Our continued commitment as an Association is to ensure that the Match Officials that are in charge of Association scheduled games are able to do so in an environment that is free of abuse or other negative incidents impacting them. BCSA is committed to zero tolerance of such cases and as such will treat any violations of BCSA policies on harassment, bullying, abuse, and/ or discrimination swiftly to ensure the safety and on-going support of our Match Officials.
The District Referee Assistant (DRA) provides information and guidance to the local district on anything related to soccer Match Officials (referees), including, but not limited to:
Answering referee-related questions
Mentoring/coaching Match Officials
Supporting the development and training of Match Officials
Helping set up Referee courses
BECOME A REFEREE
REFEREE INFORMATION
Becoming a soccer referee is a great way to learn more about the game, stay involved in the game, build leadership skills, and earn some money. Follow the steps below to get started.
HOW TO BECOME A REFEREE
Big Country Soccer Association (BCSA) hosts Mini, Entry-Level, and Refresher Referee courses in the spring in preparation for the outdoor soccer season. You must be at least 12 years old on or before the date of the course. Courses are advertised on the BCSA website and posted on the Ref Centre website once they become available.
HOW TO GET STARTED
STEP 1: Check Your Eligibility
Must be 12 years or older on or before the course date
The Canada Soccer Association (CSA) Mini Referee course is designed for new officials 12 years old or older (on or before the course date). No prior refereeing experience is required. Mini officials are eligible to officiate as a middle official any age that uses “Mini Soccer Rules.” This generally includes U8’s, U9’s and U10’s. Basic Assistant Referee (AR) training is included in this course.
Course Format
Half-day in-person practical session
Minimum Age Requirement
Must be 12 years old on or before the course date
In-Person Practical Session
Duration: half day (approximately 4-5 hours total):
2 hours of classroom instruction
2 hours of on-field practical training
Includes post-course feedback and graduation confirmation
Course Cost
There is a cost per student to attend this course; the District will reimburse this cost after a specified number of games have been refereed by the student.
ENTRY LEVEL REFEREE COURSE (CSA)
The Canada Soccer Association (CSA) Entry Level Referee course is designed for new officials 14 years old or older (on or before the course date). No prior refereeing experience is required. Entry-level officials are eligible to officiate as a middle or assistant referee (AR) at any level or age, including Mini Soccer Rules. Officials 15 and below, as per CSA policy, should not be assigned to any age above their own. 16 years old and above may be assigned to any level or age group based on their skill and competency. It is strongly recommended that assignors place new entry-level referees in lower-level games to provide the ability to gain experience.
Course Format
Online learning modules
One-day in-person practical session
Minimum Age Requirement
Must be 14 years old on or before the course date
Online Learning Requirements
Completion of CSA Laws-of-the-Game (LotG) modules via SmarterU website
Access provided through Ref Centre once registration is approved
Online modules must be completed before attending the in-person session
Estimated completion time: 4-7 hours
In-Person Practical Session
Duration: 1 day (approximately 7 hours total):
4 hours of classroom instruction
2 hours of on-field practical training
Includes post-course feedback and graduation confirmation
Course Cost
There is a cost per student to attend this course; the District will reimburse this cost after a specified number of games have been refereed by the student.
REFEREE REFRESHER COURSE (CSA)
The Canada Soccer Association (CSA) Referee Refresher course is required each year for returning officials who have previously attended an Entry-Level course. Refresher courses cover updated laws/rules of the game for the season as well as additional training material on different topics. Officials will not be moved to the eligible list until a refresher course is completed.
Course Format
In-person classroom session
Minimum Age Requirement
Required each year for returning officials who have previously attended an Entry-Level course
In-Person Classroom Session
3 hours of classroom instruction
REFEREE CLASSIFICATIONS
Referees are (initially) classified based on age:
Ages 12-13: Mini Officials
Ages 14-15: Youth Officials
Ages 16 and older: District Officials
Your classification can be viewed in your Ref Centre account under the Profile tab.
With experience and further training, Referees can work and achieve higher classifications:
Regional Officials
Provincial Officials
National Officials
FIFA Officials
Refer to the ASA website, Referee pages (www.albertasoccer.com/programs/referees/) for further information and details.
DISTRICT REFEREE ASSISTANT (DRA)
The DRA is an Alberta Soccer-recognized position designed to support the development, recruitment, education, mentoring, and overall sustainability of referee programs at the district level. Establishing this role represents an important step forward for BCSA in strengthening officiating support across all member communities.
Strong, well-supported referee programs are essential to the delivery of safe, positive, and well-managed soccer experiences for players, coaches, and families. The addition of a DRA helps ensure that referees are not only available, but are confident, capable, and supported as they progress through their officiating pathway.
BCSA is pleased to confirm that Andrew Craig has been appointed to serve as the District Referee Assistant for Big Country Soccer Association.
Andrew brings extensive experience within Alberta soccer, having been actively involved in the game for over two decades as a referee, mentor, assignor, and volunteer leader. His background includes officiating at youth, senior provincial, and national-level competitions, as well as service within community soccer administration and referee development.
His appointment ensures that Big Country referees are supported through clear communication, development opportunities, and alignment with Alberta Soccer standards.
For more on Andrew, please click the link to his brief BIO below. In addition, for more information on the ASA DRA Role, click the link below to access the current "ASA DRA PROFILE".
The following table is a listing of Referee Assignors within the Big Country Soccer Association (BCSA) District.
COMMUNITIES
CONTACT NAME
CONTACT EMAIL
CONTACT
PHONE NUMBER
MATCH OFFICIAL FEES
Within the Big Country Soccer Association (BCSA) District, Match Official fees are as follows:
U9 (Mini Refs)- $25.00/ game
U11 (Mini Refs)- $35.00/ game (center official) and $25.00/ game (assistant)
U13 (Entry Level Ref)- $45.00/ game (center official) and $30.00/ game (assistant)
U15- $50.00/ game (center official) and $30.00/ game (assistant)
U17 & U19- $60.00/ game (center official) and $40.00/ game (assistant x2)
* $0.48/ km flat rate for travel, as required.
MATCH OFFICIAL GUIDELINE
The Match Official Guideline is designed and available to Match Officials to communicate to them requirements of BCSA. The Guideline will be updated as new emerging changes to the laws involving the sport are presented and/ or any changes to the requirements as enforced by Alberta Soccer Association (ASA) and/ or Canada Soccer Association (CSA).
