REQUIREMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED...

1. AGE: You must be an adult meaning a minimum 18 years old by the date you register for the course. If you turn 18 during the course, you are not eligible. You must be 18 before you register which is generally at least a month prior to your in person training. 

2. TIME IN GRADE: You must have been registered with US Soccer in 2023 and 2024 to be eligible to mentor in 2025. Experience in other soccer organizations (high school, college, or club) can be helpful, but it does not replace the requirement to have the previous 2 years of licensure through US Soccer. If you were not registered with US Soccer as a referee in 2023 AND 2024, register now so you can apply as a mentor in the future.

3. REFEREE CAPABILITY: While Referee Mentor is the entry-level step for new trainers, mentors are still highly experienced referees who have demonstrated effective game management at the youth level. As you progress to Mentor+ and Referee Coach, additional referee performance experience will be expected. But for Referee Mentor, you should be comfortable and consistently perform well in a U-19 boys and girls match as the referee on a full 3 person crew with 22 competitive players. After all, you need to be able to model success at that level to mentor success in others. If you are primarily refereeing below the U-19 level or are not comfortable there, get more referee experience before considering mentor.

4. OTHER EXPERIENCE: Those with teaching or coaching experience may find it is helpful in Mentoring. However, you will still need to develop new skills to mentor the way US Soccer and the state of Idaho expect you to do so. In fact, we find many previous coaches have to leave behind some assumptions and learn what US Soccer requires of its referees, so be ready to learn. While teaching or coaching experience may be helpful, this experience is not required to become a mentor. That is why we have multiple zoom sessions and in person training sessions.

5. RECOMMENDATION: You must have the recommendation of your district referee administrator first so ask your DRA to email a reference to the SDI/SDA. After that letter is received, the SDI/SDA will schedule time to visit on a zoom call with you. Recommendation from the SDI/SDA is required to continue.

6. COST: $77.50 the first year (which you will earn back in 2 field mentoring session or 1 class) plus a $22 background check every 2 years ($150 if you have lived internationally). When you renew the following year, your cost will drop significantly because the in class requirement is so much less to renew.

STEPS TO BECOME LICENSED...

7. PRE-CLASS ZOOM: Once you been approved to take the class (steps 1-6 above), you will be required to participate in 3 pre-class zoom sessions starting 30 days before our in person sessions. These zoom sessions are mandatory and participatory, so they are not available via video afterwards. Session #1 is an introduction and explanation to the entire class. Session #2 involves some initial training and then you presenting a a video analysis assignment. Session #3 involves additional training and then you presenting a field session. 

8. ONLINE CLASS: Throughout the zoom sessions, you will also be completing US Soccer's Online Class for new mentors. You can find and register for the Idaho New Mentor Course located here.

9. IN PERSON CLASS: After the pre-course zoom sessions and the online class, you will attend a 2 and 1/2 day class in person. (Remote attendance is not an option.) For candidates who are successful at step #7 and 8 above and travel more than 100 miles round trip, we will provide dual occupancy hotel lodging as well as mileage in excess of 100 miles at the IRS non-profit rate.  Attendance at 100% of the course in person is required. You may not come late nor leave early, so plan your travel accordingly.  This year's class is scheduled for: FRIDAY DATE TBA (6:00-9:00pm), SATURDAY DATE TBA (9:00am-5:00pm), and SUNDAY DATE TBA (9:00am-5:00pm). 

10. POST-CLASS WORK: It is possible you may be assigned post-class work if your work in class showed areas of needed improvement. If so,  your licensing will be delayed until you improve your post-class work.

11. LICENSE: After you have completed 100% of the pre-course work, online work, in-person work, and post-course work, you will receive an email with your license. Your license is valid for a calendar year (January-December), then you must relicense each year. We begin re-licensing in July each year and mentors should be among the first to re-license.

12. SHADOW ASSIGNMENTS: After receiving your license, you will be required to shadow another mentor for an in-person class, a mentoring session with a referee crew, and a field session. After that, you will be allowed to mentor on your own.

13. MENTORING ASSIGNMENTS: Mentors will be assigned by the SDI/SDA to mentor anywhere in the state. Your participation in state-wide mentoring events (which change location each year) is expected to return for re-licensing the next year. 

14. NEXT STEP: Get feedback from experienced mentors and the SDI/SDA. After you have gained experience, move up to Mentor+ (beginning July 1, 2025).