RVP Volunteering Guide

Marin FC's Referee and Volunteer Program  (RVP) requires either refereeing in the Marin soccer community or volunteering. All players pay an RVP deposit with registration at the start of the season. Upon completing 5 games refereeing (any position; CR, AR or Fourth Official) or completing and reporting 5 hours of volunteer work, a player earns a $100 return on their RVP deposit.

As getting started can be complicated, the following guide is intended to help and includes a schedule of upcoming volunteer opportunities at the bottom.

By AGE GROUP

U8 through U13 Players and Parents

At the 'Youngers' age group, players are not yet old enough to become licensed referees.  Marin FC then asks for players and/or parents to volunteer either for their team or for the club.

U14 through U19 Players

At the 'Olders' age range, players are expected to become licensed referees and referee games. The RVP requirement is for 5 games which can be anywhere there is need (aka everywhere). Players may also volunteer 5 hours in the Marin soccer community ... again, anywhere there is a need. When refereeing for Marin FC, a player's games are automatically tracked and reported towards their RVP credit requirement. Should a player referee or volunteer elsewhere, they must report their games to the club using the online reporting form.

Team Roles

Particularly for the Youngers, volunteering is most easily accomplished by a parent taking on a needed role for your player's team for the season.  Such roles include ...

Team Manager

Team Treasurer

Travel or Event Organizer

Equipment Manager (corner flags, bench, tent(s))

Photographer

Social Media Person (responsible for writing stories about the team for the club to publish)

Medical Kit Manager

Fields Inspector (ensure the field is pristine after use)

Your team manager will report your volunteering in one of these roles to the club for your RVP refund.

Volunteering

The advantage in the RVP to refereeing is that a referee is paid! However, for those not yet old enough, not yet in possession of their referee license, or otherwise unable or disinclined to referee, the program encourages volunteerism in any form needed in the soccer community.  Some examples include:

Tutoring - Help a younger player with their training or skills.

Field clean up - Take the opportunity to canvas a field and remove all unwanted debris or trash.

Assist at a club event - Help out at Field Day or at a WPSL (Marin FC Siren) home match.

Assist a local youth club - Many local clubs have needs a Marin FC player might fill.

Donation Drive - Collect used equipment or apparel for donation to groups in need.

Social Media Content - Write a post or article about your team (or anything soccer related) and submit it to the club for use.

Player Mentoring - See below for this very special effort.

These activities or one of your own invention, may be reported to the club through the RVP reporting form on the website (link below) for credit towards your RVP deposit refund.

Player Mentoring

Our 'Olders' may mentor our 'Youngers'.

Little inspires the youngest players more than getting attention, ANY attention, from older and more accomplished players. In the Marin FC environment, this is an easy and fun way for players to volunteer and quickly knock out their RVP commitment.

As Marin FC publishes our training schedules, all our older players need to do is scan the schedule for U8 through U13 trainings which they could attend and then assist as directed by the head coach.

After mentoring, players can report their volunteering through the same reporting form as refereeing.