STSR Risk Management Policy

STSR intends to make every reasonable effort to deny from participation, any Referee, Instructor, Assessor, or Administrator, that by Law has been convicted of a crime of violence, or a crime against another’s person, that would bring unnecessary risk to the health and safety of any Youth Player or Youth Referee.

Anyone affiliated with STSR and at least 18 years of age, is required to participate in this program implemented by the U.S. Soccer Referee Development Program. This program is USOPC compliant and meets the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee requirements. The background check program is executed through the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI) which leads the youth sports safety movement and advocates for the youth of today, advancing safety policy through influence and education while supporting youth-centered organizations and safeguarding communities with in-depth background checks and comprehensive safety services.

All Background Check information is Confidential and is strictly prohibited from being divulged, becoming the property of the U.S. Soccer Referee Development Program.

Effective with badge year 2020 STSR requires those individuals that are Instructors, Assessors, Assignors, Administrators, Referee Mentors/Coaches or Referees, and at least 18 years of age to have the background check completed, results reviewed by NCSI and the U.S. Soccer Referee Development Program.

Beginning in 2020, if age 18 or over, their name appearing on the www.stsr.org website as a registered official along with their current year U.S. Soccer Referee Development license certificate listing the issuer as the South Texas Referee Committee is proof that they have been through this process and have been approved. Officials that have not registered through STSR may not have been through this process, may have a current year U.S. Soccer Referee Development Program license certificate, but it will not list to have been issued by the South Texas Referee Committee on their U.S. Soccer Referee Development Program license certificate and will not be listed as a current official on the STSR website.

Denied individuals’names are never placed on the public  Current Year Registration List  at www.stxref.org. Their applications are not approved by the U.S. Soccer Referee Development Program. They never receive a U.S. Soccer license Certificate issued by the South Texas Referee Committee. The denied individual will be refunded the U.S. Soccer Referee Development Program portion of their registration/clinic fees only.

For club/league purposes, the presence of their name on the public  Current Year Registration List at www.stxref.org, and the possession of a current year U.S. Soccer license Certificate issued by the South Texas Referee Committee are sufficient proof the individual has cleared a background check.

Background checks will be initiated during the initial first-time registration process and every two (2) years prior to the anniversary date of the current background check, being sent through the U.S. Soccer Referee Development Program’s Learning Center licensing course module to NCSI. Any “issues” will be returned to the U.S.Soccer Referee Development Program who will inform both the registrant and the State Referee Administrator. If the individual is currently in a participant in the U.S. Soccer Referee Development Program, their license will be immediately suspended and name will be removed from the   Current Year Registration List at www.stxref.org,  In all cases, the individual is able to contest the decision of the report and enter into an appeal process.

For additional information on the National Center for Safety Initiatives including who they serve and their privacy policy, click here.