Field Testing: Test Questions

Each season, the officials attend a 1-hour classroom instruction session followed later by a 1-hour outdoor training session. Officials attend a third exam session where their knowledge is tested on a pass-fail basis.

The Examination Procedure

The demonstration of basic skills will take place during the outdoor training session and will be a group activity incorporated into the training. A written exam will be administered during a second classroom session.

Know: Anything you need to "know" will be found in the written exam.
Demonstrate: Anything you are told to "demonstrate" will be tested during the outdoor training segment.

Skill Categories

The basics:

Know your number one priority as an official: “Safety.”
Know your required equipment, which you must bring on game days when you work: “Uniform/Jersey”; “Timekeeping Device”; and a “Whistle” (3x items; name all 3 to pass).
Know that “Yellow and Red Cards” are gathered when you arrive and sign-in, and must be returned at end-of-day.

Safety:

Know at least one safety violation for which a player may not participate in a game: “Blood Rule”; “Casts/Splints/Medical Devices”; “No Shinguards”; and “Suspected Concussion” (4x items; must name at least 1 to pass).
Know the means by which heading the ball (a header) is handled: “indirect free kick”; and “concussion risk removal” (2x possibilities; must name at least 1 to pass).
Know what happens when there is visible lightning during a game: “cancel”
Know what happens when there is a tornado watch or warning during a game: “cancel”
Know what happens when there is a severe thunderstorm warning during a game: “cancel”
Know what each player must have in order to pass the equipment check at the beginning of every match: “jersey, worn on the outside (of jackets/hoodies/etc.)”; “no watches, jewelry, etc. (medical alert bracelets and stud earrings are excepted)”; and “shin guards fully covered with socks or long pants” (3x items; must name at least 2 to pass).
Know what happens when there is bleeding or visible blood on a player or their equipment: “The player cannot continue to play until bleeding stopped and equipment replaced.”

Timekeeping and substitutions:

Know the substitution rule for ages 4-6: “completely unrestricted”
Know how many coaches are allowed on the field for ages 4-8: “one coach”
Know when substitution is allowed for all the 7-13 age groups: “kick-off; goal kick; your own throw-in; your own corner kick; the opponent’s throw-in if they also substitute; the opponent’s corner kick if they also substitute” (6x possibilities; must name at least 4 to pass).

Start of play, kick-off:

Know when a kick-off is used to start play: “beginning of the game or half”; “after a goal is scored” (2x possibilities; must name both to pass).
Demonstrate the location of the non-kicking team during a kick-off. (Candidate must instruct the examiner to stand outside the center circle on the examiner’s own half of the field.)
Demonstrate the location of the kick-off taker during a kick-off. (Candidate must instruct the examiner to stand anywhere on the field; and inform the examiner that they may kick the ball in any direction.)
Know what action is taken if the kick-off taker touches the ball a second time after taking the kick off: “Indirect free kick for the non-kicking team at the location of the infraction” (candidate passes so long as they know it is an indirect free kick).
Know what action is taken if a player on the non-kicking team runs into the center circle before the kick is taken: “Kick-off is re-taken.”
Know what action is taken if a player on the kicking team crosses the centerline before the kick is taken: “Kick-off is re-taken.”

Start of play, throw-in:

Know when a throw-in takes place: “When the ball goes out of bounds over a sideline.”
Demonstrate a proper throw-in. (Candidate must show both feet on the ground, fully out of bounds, both hands on the ball, from behind and over the head.)
Know whether an off the side offense applies to throw-ins: “No.”

Start of play, goal kick:

Know when a goal kick takes place: “When the ball goes out of bounds over a goal line, last touched by an attacking player.”
Demonstrate the location and placement of the ball for a goal kick. (Candidate must instruct the examiner to place the ball anywhere in the goal area.)
Demonstrate where the non-kicking team may stand during a goal kick. (Candidate must instruct the examiner to stand outside of the penalty area.)
Demonstrate where the kicking team may stand during a goal kick. (Candidate must instruct the examiner to stand “Anywhere on the field”).
NEW: Know when the ball becomes in play during a goal kick. (The ball is in play when it is touched and moves, and no longer needs to pass out of the penalty area before it is in play.)

Start of play, corner kick:

Know when a corner kick takes place: “When the ball goes out of bounds over a goal line, last touched by a defending player.”
Demonstrate the location and placement of the ball for a corner kick. (Candidate must instruct the examiner to place the ball anywhere in the corner arc.)

Start of play, drop ball:

Know when a drop ball takes place. (Candidate must provide at least one example of a drop ball situation, or simply state that a drop ball restarts play after a stoppage for which no penalty is issued.)
NEW: Know who may play a drop ball. (Candidate must state that the team that last had possession of the ball may play a drop ball.)
NEW: Know what happens if the ball strikes an official, when that causes a goal to be scored or a promising attack to ensue. (Candidate must state that play is stopped, and restarted with a drop ball in this situation.)
Demonstrate a drop ball. (Candidate must instruct the examiner to wait for the ball to hit the ground before playing it, and then drop the ball in front of the examiner to simulate a drop ball in practice.)

Start of play, free kicks:

Know the two kinds of free kicks: (“Direct” and “Indirect”; must state both to pass).
Know the difference between the two free kicks: (“Direct” can score; “Indirect” cannot score until the ball first touches another player.)
Demonstrate a defending team’s free kick from within their own penalty area. (With the examiner acting as a non-kicking player, candidate must instruct the examiner, as a non-kicking player, to stand outside of the penalty area.)

Start of play, penalty kicks:

Know when a penalty kick takes place: “When a defending player commits a direct free kick offense within his own penalty area.”
Demonstrate where a goalkeeper may stand during a penalty kick. (Candidate must instruct the examiner to stand on the goal line between the posts.)
Demonstrate where the kicker may stand during a penalty kick. (Candidate must place the ball on the penalty mark and instruct the examiner to wait for the whistle before performing the penalty kick.)
Demonstrate where all other players besides the goalkeeper and the kicker must stand when a penalty kick takes place. (Candidate must instruct the examiner to stand outside of the penalty area plus the penalty arc.)

Fouls and misconduct:

Know each of the indirect free kick offenses: (touching the ball a second time during a kick-off, throw-in, or free kick; goalkeeper handling a pass-back; dangerous play; impeding the progress of an opponent; intentional header; offside. Candidate must name at least 1 possibility to pass.)
Know each of the direct free kick offenses: (kicking; tripping; spitting; jumping; charging; striking; pushing; handling the ball. Candidate must name at least 1 possibility to pass.)

Ball in and out of play:

Demonstrate a ball which is barely in play, to show how far it can go before it is deemed out-of-bounds. (Candidate must place the ball over a goal line or touchline at the extreme edge of the ball.)
Demonstrate a ball which is barely out of play, to show how far it must go in order to be deemed out-of-bounds. (Candidate must place the ball past the goal line or touchline to show that the extreme edge of the ball has passed completely out of bounds.)

Offside position and offense:

Demonstrate an offside position using cones to represent defenders, and the ball to represent its location in a position which is not offside. (Candidate must stand: closer to the goal line than the ball; closer to the goal line than the second last opponent; and on the opponent’s half of the field.)
Demonstrate an offside offense. (Candidate must indicate that they would be offside after having the ball passed to them by the examiner.)