Soccer refs to boycott Southern Section over pay. Who will officiate high school games?

Close to 1,000 soccer referees from around Southern California have launched a boycott against working Southern Section boys’ and girls’ soccer games in a dispute over compensation. The season begins for high school teams on Nov. 13.

The action is “to bring representatives of the Southern Section to the table to discuss adjustments to the fee schedule mandated by the Southern Section,” according to a news release from the Southern California Soccer Officials Assn.

Not all units are participating in the boycott.

Officials received a pay raise from the City Section last year and will be working City Section games, getting paid $88 each for two-person crews. The Southern Section is paying $75 to each crew member in a three-year contract that went into effect last year.

High School Sports

High school soccer officials are preparing to sit out Southern Section games

High school soccer officials have a pay dispute with the Southern Section that could disrupt the upcoming season.

Oct. 17, 2023

Southern Section commissioner Mike West has told schools not to deviate from mandated pay structure and to find alternative officials, such as college students or assistant coaches.

Games in Los Angeles County are likely to be most affected.

“We requested discussions with CIF about the fees in November of last year and again in January, March and May of this year; each time, our requests were met with silence,” said Nico Esquivel, president of Unit I of the Southern California Soccer Officials Assn. in the news release.

Schools have begun to seek other officials. Harvard-Westlake coach Mike Erush, who also is head coach at Cal State Los Angeles, said he hopes to recruit students from CSLA and UCLA to work games.

The Foothill League has informed parents they will seek officials from local colleges.

Others will consider switching nonleague games against City Section schools to the opponents’ site.

Here’s the statement from the Southern Section:

“The CIF‐Southern Section Council and its 565 member schools voted to pass the current fee structure in April of 2022. The CIF‐SS Council is comprised of the member schools representing 88 leagues that meet three times a year to propose, debate and pass or fail legislation for the membership. By nearly 80% (68‐18‐1) that representational body voiced their approval of this current fee structure.

“As stated in multiple in‐person, telephone calls and email exchanges with the Southern California Soccer Officials’ Association and its individual area units, there is nothing within our governance structure that allows the CIF‐SS office staff to go outside the process created by the membership to establish a revised three‐year sport fee increase.

“Next, the hourly rate that soccer officials are currently receiving is the same $35.00 an hour rate in year three of this cycle that all sport officiating groups will be compensated. A new officials’ fee structure process will begin again in August to revisit the next three‐year fees cycle (which begins with the 2025‐2026 school year), and all officials will, once again, have the ability to request a new framework and/or increases. Until that time, and under CIF‐Southern Section bylaws, schools may only assign certified and properly insured officials still willing to work, assistant coaches, former coaches and volunteers that stand ready, willing and able to officiate these contests.”