Tri-State Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association
To become a college soccer official, you need to join NISOA, the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association. You can do so by following these guidlines:
Requirements:
All members must make application through a Local Chapter or Regional Board. In the Pittsburgh area, that is TISOA, the Tri-State Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association.
The best way to get information on joining TISOA is by contacting the new officials committee chairman for TISOA, Chapter Vice-President, Nick Vuchenich. You can email Nick here: Email Nick Vuchenich
To be eligible, you MUST:
1) Submit three letters of recommendation; two from NISOA members in good standing with at
least five years of experience in officiating intercollegiate soccer and one from a college soccer coach,
NISOA Assessor or NISOA clinician.
2) Pass the NISOA Qualifying Exam by 75%
3) Pass the NISOA Physical Fitness Test with a score average of at least 1.5 or higher.
4) Have at least three years of game experience at the High School Varsity level or higher.
5) Have officiated as a referee in at least 25 games at the high school varsity, amateur or
professional level.
6) Have officiated the required games under the approved officiating systems of NISOA.
7) Pass two field performance assessments using the approved NISOA officiating systems
(one as a referee and one as an assistant referee). All assessments must be done by a certified NISOA
Assessor (Local, Regional or National). Each assessment must be at the high school varsity level or
higher.
8) Pass the NISOA Medical Physical Exam and return an accompanying NISOA statement which
explains the referee’s capabilities and signed by a certified physician.
9) Complete all of the above requirements within six months of the initial application.
10) Submit all fees and dues (Local, National and New Member Uniform Kit) with the application
form. Three individual checks are to be made payable to Local Chapter, NISOA National and Official
Sports International. You can not send in these checks and the application to NISOA on your own. They must be submitted by your local chapter
to NISOA for you.
11) At the discretion of the Local NISOA Chapter, the applicant may be placed on probation for two years
during which two field performance assessments each year must be made and passed.
12) Applicant shall be at least 18 years of age.
13) An applicant is eligible to take the Physical Fitness Test and/or the Written Qualifying Exam twice
within the months of November - December; January - August.
Attending the NISOA Referee Training Camp is acceptable for meeting all the testing requirements for the first seven listed items above for the new applicant.
