High school soccer referees to boycott 2023-24 CIF-Southern Section season over pay dispute
Malibu High School is looking for individuals with sharp soccer knowledge to officiate the home games of their girls and boys soccer teams this upcoming season.
The search for soccer officials is on after the Southern California Soccer Officials Association voted last week to boycott the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section’s 2023-24 high school soccer season because of a pay dispute.
The members of the association, which includes hundreds of referees who officiate boys and girls high school soccer games in Malibu and throughout Southern California, are unhappy with the CIF Southern Section’s new hourly-based system that gave raises to football ($51), baseball ($21), basketball ($15), and softball ($10) officials over a three-year period but did not feature a significant kick in pay on the soccer pitch.
Soccer officials’ hourly rate is $35.56 over an estimated 2.5 hours of work, which is a single cent raise from the previous $80 flat fee. Assistant referees’ pay was slashed a half-cent from their previous $68.
The Malibu High soccer seasons begin on Nov. 14. The boys junior varsity team hosts Milken School at 5 p.m. The boys varsity team hosts Providence at 6:30 p.m.
The CIF Southern Section Council approved the officiating pay change in January 2022. There were rumblings that soccer officials were upset with pay structure.
Soccer referees notified schools in September that they would charge $105 a contest this season, which would increase to $130 in 2025-26. Assistant referees would charge $85 this season, and $100 in two years.
However in a letter penned the same month, CIF Southern Section Commissioner Taylor Martinez told member schools it would be a violation of CIF Southern Section bylaws to deviate from established officials fee structure. Martinez said host schools must instead “provide either an alternation CIF Southern Section official or a mutually agreed upon qualified person to officiate the contest at all levels of competition.”
The replacement officials for matches could be an assistant coach from each team, National Intramural Recreation Sports Association officials from a nearby college like Pepperdine, or qualified individuals willing to work. The contest can be postponed or canceled also.
“We hope the dispute regarding the current Soccer Officials Fee Structure does not significantly impact the athletes in our section who are counting on everyone involved to maximize their individual athletic experience,” Martinez wrote.
Malibu High athletic director Chris Neier said, “I am confident we will have officials for the games. It’s every person on deck.”
If you are interested in officiating a Malibu High soccer match, contact Neier at cneier@smmusd.org.