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                Upgrading (certifying at a higher grade than 8) is a two-part process. The first part consists of working the necessary number of games at the required competition level. The second part is USSF certifying you have the requisite skills and permitting you to receive the higher grade badge.  

                Maintaining the grade 7 (or higher) certification is also a process. The referee must: pass an annual maintenance assessment at the appropriate game level, attend the annual recertification clinic, pass the written examination, pass the physical fitness tests, and attend the Advanced Clinic Training.


Number of Games

                While there is the requirement the referee work a minimum "number" of games, the referee needs game assignments with older, more skillful players and coaches who will test his/her management, fitness and knowledge of the LOTG in preparation for the next grade. The emphasis is on "mastering the skills" necessary in higher levels of competitive play. Mere "presence" in a game will not give the referee the preparatory game experience (game presence, managing players and coaches, testing fitness, etc) to successfully complete the upgrade process. Referees should work with their assignor(s) early their career in order to obtain appropriate games with increasing levels of difficulty, working towards mastery of the game level for the upgrade assessment, before the upgrade assessment occurs. The referee is able to request informal assessments from USSF assessors to improve the quality and consistency of his/her skills, as well as help decide when to submit the application to upgrade. Referees are encouraged to extend their skills via measured risk taking at more competitive levels of play. However, an unprepared upgrade candidates will likely not pass the assessment. "Not passing" requires the referee to pass two additional assessments. The referee cannot schedule two assessable games on the same day if assigned to the center in both games. Therefore, upgrade applications should only be submitted by referee's who have prepared, trained and demonstrated mastery of the next game level.
        

Certification


                The requirements for each grade, as well as the forms, are listed at www.michiganreferee.org  -> "tools"  -> "upgrading".  The referee submits the upgrade application, documentation and fee to the State Director of Assessors (SDA). The SDA then assigns an assessor, and sends a confirmation e-mail to the referee and assigned assessor. The referee should promptly: contact the assessor to confirm, discuss the assessor's availability, discuss the upgrade assessment process; and, contact the assignor in order to receive a game assignment that will qualify as "assessable" (meaning the game is of sufficient difficulty so as to test the referee's fitness, ability to work with his crew, manage the players and coaches, and correctly apply the LOTG). Once the upgrade game is assigned, the referee must contact the assessor and verify the assessor can be present. If not, the referee must promptly request a new upgrade game.  The referee should also contact each assistant referee and begin the pre-game process- especially if they have not worked together before. If the referee is not diligent in following these steps, and an assessable game is not obtained or passed, the entire application process will have to be repeated the following year.

                The upgrade candidate must also attend the State Recertification Clinic, pass the written examination for next grade, pass the physical fitness tests, and attend an Advanced Training Clinic. The Advanced Training Clinic and fitness tests occur prior to the State Clinic and written examination. If the referee anticipates any difficulty attending the ATC, or passing the physical fitness tests, he/she should have those occur early in the year so as to allow time to correct a deficiency at a later, scheduled training or fitness testing.

                  The referee must successfully complete all parts of the upgrade in the same calendar year.

Maintenance


                Thereafter to maintain a grade 7, the referee must successfully complete the necessary recertification steps: attendance at the annual recertification clinic (grade 6 and above must attend the State Recertification Clinic), passing the recertification examination, passing the required maintenance assessment(s), attending an Advanced Training Clinic (ATC), and passing the physical fitness tests. If the referee anticipates any difficulty with the maintenance assessment(s), attendance at the ATC, or the physical fitness tests, he/she should schedule those early in the year so as to allow time to correct a deficiency at a subsequent scheduled opportunity.