The offseason is typically an opportunity to rest and recover, however this November & December, there will be some eager officials who will use this time as an opportunity to excel.

This year, in collaboration with North Carolina FC Youth (NCFC Youth) and their annual visitRaleigh.com Showcase Series, which brings in more than 1,600 youth teams and 500 college coaches over four weekends of play, the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA) is proud to once again hold its College Cup Seminar. Teams participating in NCFC Youth's visitRaleigh.com Showcase Series can look forward to a premier match experience, elevated by the presence of top-tier officiating through this partnership. Due to this collaboration and prior seminar success, the event will be expanded to the Men’s NCAA College Cup weekend this December in Cary, N.C.

“At NCFC Youth, we are committed to providing not only the best possible experience for our players, families, and college coaches, but also for our referees, as they play a critical role in the success of these events,” said Bryan Bachelder, Director of Administration. “The collaboration with NISOA shows our commitment to creating a world class environment featuring the best competition, officiating, and recruiting opportunities in the country.”

While officiating matches at the visitRaleigh.com Showcase Series, 30-hand selected college soccer officials from across the country will travel to North Carolina to be observed and provided instruction by world class referee mentors. Referees will gain valuable knowledge from FIFA, PRO (Professional Referee Organization), US Soccer National Coaches, NISOA National Clinicians, NCAA Coordinators, and Conference Coordinators to be the very best soccer officials they can be. The expansive list of referee mentors are not the only impressive guests coming to Raleigh for this extraordinary opportunity, but so are the keynote speakers for Saturday evening’s event.

At both the women’s and men’s events, match officials will be observed, creating opportunities to learn on the job from some of the best in the business, including Alex Prus head of PRO2 and former MLS Referee, as well as John Collins NCAA National Coordinator, Carmen Serbio ACC Coordinator, Karen Coulson (Abt) RMAC Coordinator, Chris Penso AAC Coordinator, Cien Asoera Big 10 Coordinator, and many more. These events will create connections with fellow officials and key stakeholders across the soccer landscape and provide learning experiences for the officials in the Triangle.

“Working with NISOA allows us to attract and develop top referees from across the country while also investing in the growth of our local referee pool,” said NCFC Youth Director of Referees Brian Miller. “Together, we’re raising the standard of officiating and creating opportunities for referees to excel at every level.”

This will be the fourth edition of the Women’s College Cup NISOA Seminar and NISOA will have a full class of 100% female participants, all hand-selected from Conference Coordinators, NCAA and NISOA National Staff to represent a promising group of up-and-coming officials. The women’s seminar will have a specific agenda tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities that female match officials are presented in today’s game. A richly curated educational agenda including special guests such as nutritionists, sports scientists, and world-class speakers to discuss topics like nutrition for women athletes, to building your brand will help these officials take the field with confidence.

“With women representing less than 10% of all college match officials today, we have an obligation to develop this underserved, yet growing sector of match officials,” added Jude Carr, NCFC Youth’s Assistant Referee Assignor. “We are able to provide these uniquely targeted opportunities to help grow the participation of women in officiating.”

Last year’s event offered the platform which challenged and improved referees.

"NCFC Youth's visitRaleigh.com Showcase Series tournament was a fun, well-organized tournament with high-quality soccer and dedicated referees ready to work,” NISOA Referee Paloma Bermudez said. “The support and care for the officials made it an even better experience.”

Fellow NISOA Referee Brandon Queri echoed that sentiment.

“NCFC Youth's visitRaleigh.com Showcase Series tournament offered top level play from teams across the country,” he said. “The tournament staff was incredibly experienced and supportive of players, coaches, and officials alike. The tournament was fun and a great place to gain experience!"

Together, NCFC Youth and NISOA are proud to foster an environment where players, coaches, and referees can enjoy an unparalleled soccer experience, ensuring that everyone involved leaves the field inspired and excited for the future of the game.

About NISOA: NISOA is an NFP organization of roughly 5,000 match officials nationwide who serve the collegiate game. NISOA’s Mission: Identify and recruit officials for the collegiate game while progressively developing NISOA members to their highest potential through collaboration initiatives. More can be found out at NISOA.com.

About NCFC Youth: NCFC Youth is a non-profit youth soccer organization who serves nearly 17,000 youth players through all levels of programming each year. Founded in 1974, the youth club hosts tournaments throughout the year, including the annual NCFC Youth visitRaleigh.com Showcase Series, which welcomes nearly 1,600 teams across four weekends of play. NCFC Youth is dedicated to providing positive, high-quality soccer at all levels of play and serving as a valuable community partner. To learn more, visit NCFCyouth.com.

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