News

USSF Lifetime Member - Jim Kritzberg

Jim Kritzberg has been a USSF Lifetime Member since 2011.  Read about his accomplishments with USSF.

U.S. Soccer Strengthens Penalties for Referee Abuse

U.S. Soccer wants to stop assaults on referees. They have implemented new, harsher penalties for referee abuse - physical and verbal abuse.

Watch the KOMO news report about the changes: 

Washington State 2024 Youth Referees of the Year

Mallory and Deniz, congratulations on being selected the Washington State 2024 Youth Referees of the Year.  

Washington Youth Soccer has selected Mallory Morris as this year’s Young Female Referee of the Year recipient.

Mallory is from Kent, WA and recently graduated from Kentlake High School. She is now in her first year at St. Martins University where she plays for their Women’s Soccer team and is pursuing a degree in Engineering.

She started refereeing at age 14 and developed a passion for officiating soccer. In the summer one can often find Mallory at one of the tournaments.

One of her Assignors says this: “Mallory is a referee as well as a great human that her peers strive to be like. She is always positive, professional and cheerful both on and off the field. Mallory quickly became one of my ‘go to’ referees!”

According to Mallory: “Being a player as well as a referee has allowed me to gain perspective an advantage on both sides of the game. I love the game. The first thing I do after a tournament is give my mom a rundown of the event and tell her stories about my friends.”

Please join us in congratulating Mallory on this prestigious honor. She will now be entered as the WYS nominee for US Youth Soccer Region IV Young Female Referee of the Year.

--------------------------------------------------

Washington Youth Soccer has selected Deniz Muhittinoglu as this year’s Young Male Referee of the Year.

Deniz is from Kenmore, WA and played soccer at Inglemoor High School. In addition to soccer, he was active in the Kenmore Community Youth Council and served as their Treasurer.

Deniz comes from a soccer family. He started “reffing” with his Dad in 2016. He has officiated at several WA Youth Soccer State Cups and also helps mentor new referees within Northshore Youth Soccer Association.

One of his Assignors says this: “My favorite thing about Deniz is his humility. I am confident that whatever match I put him on, it will be handled with professionalism. Everyone loves being around Deniz. He always has a positive attitude and tries to do his best both on and off the field.”

Deniz is currently a Freshman at Carnegie Mellon University studying Engineering.

Please join us in congratulating Deniz on this prestigious honor. He will now be entered as the WYS nominee for US Youth Soccer Region IV Young Male Referee of the Year.

Washington State 2024 Adult Referee of the Year

JJ Snyder has been selected as the Washington State 2024 Adult Referee of the Year.  

JJ Snyder commenced his officiating career in 1987, where he oversaw matches across various levels, including youth, high school, college, and professional competitions. He officiated the Washington State High School Boys' championship match in both 2011 and 2013, served as an official at the GNAC Women’s Championships in 2017, and functioned as an assistant referee during the 2018 WAC tournament. Additionally, he has participated in numerous youth regional events alongside these championship competitions.

In recognition of his contributions to the WOA refereeing community, JJ was awarded the Washington Officials Association (Spring Soccer) Referee of the Year in 2015. He currently holds the position of assignor and Director of Officials for the Western Indoor Soccer League. As a board member of the Washington Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association, he dedicates significant time to mentoring and developing referees to enhance the sport of soccer. 

Washington State 2024 Referee Achievement Award

Kelsey Harms has been selected for the Washington State 2024 Referee Achievement Award. 

Kelsey Harms has been a dedicated soccer referee since 2004, officiating matches from youth games to the professional level in the NWSL and USL Super League. A member of the National Referee pool since 2016, Kelsey is also a Division 1 college referee, a certified VAR official since 2023, and a respected referee coach. She has officiated at numerous top-level youth tournaments as both a referee and a mentor, and she plays a crucial role in the referee community as the assignor for the EPLWA.

In 2024, Kelsey was honored with the WSASA Referee Achievement Award for her contributions to the Washington state refereeing community. Her work as an assignor, referee coach, and national-level official has had a significant impact on the development of referees across all levels.

Passionate about mentorship, Kelsey is committed to guiding the next generation of referees, recognizing the support and guidance she received on her own journey. She hopes to continue officiating at a high level while helping young referees find their path in the sport. 

Managing Referee Abuse & Assault

Soccer referee abuse and assault are very serious crimes against the sport and they continue to happen to our members. Misconduct against referees may occur before, during, and after a match — including travel to and from a match. It is critical that referees correctly identify and make a report of these incidents. Your SRC has developed two pages to assist you in recognizing and dealing with Referee Abuse and Assault. The first page provides information on recognizing abuse and assault and how and when to report it. It may be viewed on the page Referee Abuse. Guidance for how you should conduct yourself when you experience Abuse or Assault is provided on Your Conduct if an Assault Occurs. A link is also provided in the sidebar and the right of this page.

It is requested and recommended that all recertifying and new referees complete the new lesson providing online instruction on recognizing and dealing with Referee Abuse and Assault.

Additional reference information regarding Referee Assault and Abuse.

USSF Requirements and Profiles for USSF Officials