North York Soccer Referee Asociation

March 7th, 2008

Don't Forget to Register!

Applications for the Entry Level Referee course can be found here.

Applications for the C3 upgrade course can be found here.

If you are looking to upgrade or maintain your C2 or C1 classification you must register with the local DRC running the fitness test by May 1st. Please keep in mind that there is a limit of thirty participants per test. All the wonderful details are on the OSA website. In North York we will be hosting a test on May 25th, starting at 9:30pm at Esther Shriner.

We have been informed by both the TSA and OSA in the last week that the Soccer City Facility is still not registered. We will update the website when we hear otherwise. If you have any questions about this situation follow up with the TSA's DRC Manuel Orellana.

February 9th, 2008

So You Want To Be A Ref

C4, C3, C2 and C1 clinics, you name it we got it.

Entry Level C4 Clinics

The C4 clinic is for all people new to reffing. There will be two clinics in North York, one taking place May 12, 24 and 24th and May 21, 23 and 25th. You must be 13 as of January 1st, 2008. The course will cost participates $50.

The last C3 Clinic EVER!

We will be hosting one C3 clinic this year in North York. This will take place on April 13, you must be registered by April 1st. If you were wondering why we are holding only one clinic, that's because next year C4 and C3 referees will be designated as "District" referees and the C3 and C4 designations will no longer be used in Ontario. This course will cost you $30.

C2 Clinics

The C2 (soon to be "Regional") clinic registration has already passed. You will want to read the OSA website for all the gory details.

C1 Clinics

Something will be taking place April 19th and 20th. Though they aren't saying what at this point.

The NYSRA can now be found at:

65 Carl Hall Road
Suite 110
Toronto, ON M3K 2E1

If you've added some off season weight, make sure it's off for May 25th, the tentative date for our fitness test. We will confirm this once we get approval from everyone involved.

Now that winter is in full swing keep an eye on our Education page.

January 17th, 2008

A New Year Brings New News

NYSRA is proud to offer another exciting series of education seminars aimed at sharpening us up for the 2008 outdoor season. Maybe even a night dedicated at the burgeoning indoor game. It's a little sparse at the moment but I'll flesh out the schedule as I get confirmations. So keep an eye out for updates.

WARNING! Unsanctioned Leagues

TSA has informed the OSRA that until further notice, all referees are advised that they are not permitted to officiate Senior League Games at the Soccer City Facility in Etobicoke (Toronto) as these games are currently non sanctioned. For further details contact the TSA or the TSA DRC. If we find out more information we will post it here.

Please read the letter from TSA.

If you are unsure about the status of any league, ask your DRC!

Futsal Follow Up

A big congratulations to all those who attended North York's Futsal Clinic. I was quite shocked to find out at the seminar that the CSA quashed the rumored futsal badge. Sorry if I got anyone's hopes up.

December 3rd, 2007

Futsal Is Coming!

NYSRA is hosting a Futsal Clinic on December 15th! If you are interested in attending please email Renato daCosta.

Futsal is FIFA's official indoor soccer like game. The OSA and CSA are starting to promote it and we need more refs to meet demand this winter. Plus, you get yet another badge! The OSA Futsal Cup winners are invited on to the National Championships at the U14 and U16 level.

Please let us know ASAP if you are interested.

November 15th, 2007

A big thank you to everyone who braved the elements to attend our AGM. A big congratulations to Yusri Rudolf and Ige Egal, our senior and junior referees of the year. Our education sessions are due to start in early January, stay tuned.

And if you are on facebook and are getting bored of poking Renato why not join the OSRA or Law Five groups?

Oct 6th, 2007:

The North York branch of the OSRA will be holding it's Annual General Meeting on November the 8th at Edithvale Community Centre from 7pm - 10pm. We will be providing reports from the branch executive, holding elections for open positions and providing food and drink. We are looking to hold elections for President, Treasurer and Secretary for two year terms as well as filling the role of Director (Education) for one year. Branch memberships for the 2008 season will be available. We will also be awarding our Jim Tandy and Ted Coombs Awards for our Senior and Junior Referees of the year respectively.

The AGM is a great chance to see where your fellow refs stand at the end of the summer season.

Oct 2nd, 2007:

English FA to teach respect for refs at the grass roots level. I'll believe it when I see it.

May 25th, 2007:

League fees are up on our website. Still missing TSA and University fees but we will get those eventual.

May 17th, 2007:

Congratulations to all our winners!

We will let you know when the tickets come in .

Remember, no scalping!!! Sell them to me because I didn't win any.

Ige Egal	July 1st	Canada Vs Chile
Hugh Gibson	July 2nd	Portugal vs New Zealand Gambia vs Mexio
Burt Birtasevic	July 5	New Zealand vs Gambia Mexico vs Portugal
Dusan Birtasevic	July 8	Chile vs Austria
Renato daCosta	July 11th	Rouch of 16
Fab Rosa	July 12th	Round of 16
Connor Dunn	July 14th	Quarter Finals
Pat Lenon	July 19th	Semi Finals
Mario Facchinelli	July 22nd	3rd Place
Jozsef Boros	Jul y 22nd	FINALS

May 5th, 2007:

FITNESS TEST INFORMATION

You must register with the DRC to be eligible to run the fitness test. Please get in touch with Renato daCosta if you are planning to run the test on May 27th at Esther Shriner. The test is mandatory for all National, Nominated National, C1, C2 and C3s upgrading to C2. Test starts at 9:00am and get there early since refs from York, North York and Toronto will be there.

UPGRADING/MAINTENANCE CHANGES

If you are looking to upgrade from C3 to C2, the OSA has changed the program. Please check the OSA website for details. For those looking to upgrade you need a minimum of 4 assessments and can request up to 6 over 2 years. If you are looking for a maintenance assessment you can request 2 of those. If the office can't get an assessor or an assessor doesn't show up for those games then you will NOT be downgraded. Assessment request forms can be mailed or emailed to Tony Flammia. At the end of the season a committee will review all assessments and you will be notified by December 31st, 2007.

April 21st, 2007:

The OSA has released a policy regarding badges. For the vast majority of us in North York it's business as usual. The OSA will accept the OSRA badge at most games except OSA appointments such as Ontario Cup and National competitions You can read the policy here.

Scarborough branch looks like they are organizing a pair of fitness tests on June 21st (7:00pm) and 24th (3:00pm). The location is still TBA but hopefully will be Birchmount. Keep an eye on the OSA website if your interested.

We've canceled our last education session of the season with Don Pearce. That leaves Bill Hoyle to bring it all home for the Winter 2007 Education Sessions on April 26th. Our pre-season meeting will be held on May 17th.

March 20th, 2007:

We've moved around some of the education sessions. There will be no meeting on the 29th of March and please be aware that there is only 1 mandatory session left for those who have not attended the CSA's Back To Basics course.

March 5th, 2007:

Canada drew Chile, Congo and Austria in the U20s.

In other news: The IFAB uphold the status quo.

The winner for craziest remark about the whole subject is Canada's very own the honorable Wajid Khan (MP for Mississauga-Streetsville) "You can't hide a bomb under a hijab."

February 26th, 2007:

The OSA will be conducting the fitness tests across the province this year. North York, Toronto, Scarborough and York Region will be running at Esther Shriner Stadium on May 27th, 2007 from 9:00AM to 12:00. If you can't make it the nearest alternate location is at Trafagler High School out in Peel Region on the 10th, 26th and 27th of May. Be forewarned: You have to keep running the entire 12 minutes even if you made the required distance, 2200m for class two and 2700m for class one and above.

The new CanSoRef is available. If you have not received a copy via email contact the branch secretary.

OH NO NOT AGAIN! If we aren't discussing badges, it's player's equipment. Looks like the folks at Ontario Soccer Talk are discussing it, as is FIFA in a suprisingly fast reaction to something in soccer's hinterland. I wouldn't bother reading The Globe and Mail's 83 comments, most of them are pure hyperbole.

January 24th, 2007:

France has passed legislation protecting referees It declares referees to be self employed public servants. They given tax breaks at both the elite and lower/youth levels, including the perk of not reporting the first few thousand dollars of income. The leagues will start to pay social security for refs despite their self employed status. Full text of the article from UEFA Direct can be found here on page 6. The most impressive part though is that abuse or assault of a referee is now considered by the courts to be on par with assaulting their fellow civil servants such as cops and firefighters.

January 17th, 2007:

Interested in watching the FIFA U20 Mens World Championship?

NYSRA is giving away a pair of tickets to every game taking place in Toronto! Including Canada Vs Portugal, a semifinal, 3rd Place consolation and the Finals. 12 games in total. To win all you have to do is be a NYSRA branch member and attend four of our winter education sessions alongside the mandatory session being held by our DRC. For more information just show up at the education sessions.

January 16th, 2007

Found this little gem on the OSL message board. Every reply so far has a new and unique take on Law 11. Aside from the opinion on Buffon.

January 12th, 2007

FIFA.com have done a news story on Canadian U20/Geordie defender Dave Edgar.

In other news:
David Beckham joined LA Galaxy in the MLS for a mere half a million pounds a week. Toronto FC now reporting over 10,000 season tickets sold.

January 8th, 2007

The 2007 education sessions are starting Edithvale Community centre on January 18th. For more information see our education page.

The OSRA Referee Development Seminar has been moved to Oak Ridges Recreational Complex and will be taking place on Sunday, January 28th, 2007. This is a free event, but seating is limited so please send an e-mail to webmaster@rogers.com if you are thinking about going. DC Emerson Mathurin is the guest speaker for the day.

A special congratulations goes out to our 2006 successful upgrade candidates:
Karen Legault - C1
Yusri Rudolf - C1
Hugh Gibson - C2
Ige Egal - C2
Raul Chavez - C2
Zac Taylor - C2