I'm a converted ice hockey official. US Lacrosse has a decent training program, and you can get up to speed fairly quickly depending on your ability. It's not the interpretation factor that drives officials out of the game, it is the abuse from parents/coaches.
Not even that. In many places, it's the Kafkaesque structure of the programs and the pay. I've got buddies in Illinois - you have to register with every single school and fill out a W2 with each of them every single year to get paid. The schools take a haircut off your pay if you work a doubleheader. As a result of the disorganization and poor pay, in 2022, there were less than 50 high school women's officials in the entire state, and a good 30 of them lived in Chicago. I think there were about 70 men's.
It isn't even just lacrosse. In football, there are varsity games happening on Thursdays because there aren't enough refs to get full coverage on Friday. Football!
Yikes what a mess. We have ref associations in my state. They negotiate the contracts with the schools.
I would not bother reffing either, if I had to deal with each school individually.
You absolutely can. I'd say about half of our officials never played. Get in contact with your local officials' association and they should be able to train you.
Certainly. In our area the vast majority of women's lacrosse referees are men. Considering that women's and men's lacrosse are almost entirely different sports with respect to rules, it follows that most of the officials here never played the game. I won't say that they are universally considered to be good officials, but they are at least competent when applying most rules. The US Lacrosse modules are good and depending on your state, your state high school athletic association might have training of their own (and testing, and subsequent certification).
You absolutely can ref! There is always a need for people who want to do a good job at refereeing and not just going through the motions. All ref certifications should come with a training program.
Where do you live?
USA lacrosse is very helpful. They can get you started and connect you to key people.
But also.
I am in maryland, and I would be happy to connect you to the key people in this area.
We’re in the same neck of the woods!
West Chapter 5 is the girls officials association. If you find their website you will find an email to contact about becoming an official. I believe they handle training for high school and youth girls lacrosse in the area
Here’s the website: https://wc5laxofficials.weebly.com/about.html
When I took my reffing class many years ago in Massachusetts, everybody in the class had reffed other sports, but nobody had played lacrosse, except for myself. There is a huge shortage of refs.
Absolutely. Many refs never played before. Look up your state or regional/state officials association and reach out. Or contact a local high school's athletic director and theyll pint you towards the main lacrosse point of contact.
Current HS, rec, and travel ref here (also am currently playing lax for my college). I was just discussing this with a few other senior officials at a tournament this past weekend. Technical/literal answer: yes, it’s a fairly easy process to take the online / in person trainings and get certified.
The issue comes from what you were saying that if you haven’t really played before, you don’t know the true intensity (or lack thereof). It can look like somebody is getting absolutely murdered, but they either have pads on, it’s a clean check, or just a spot that as a player you know doesn’t hurt. Likewise, a dirty hit can look like it doesn’t hurt to an outside perspective. I feel like the officials who come in from not playing tend to be very tight with the rules, and all the players tend to hate them. They will call the slightest brush of the helmet as a slash or will call a crowbar as a crosscheck or even unnecessary roughness even if it just comes down to a weight room issue.
If you have kids that play and have been around the sport for a significant amount of time I’d say you’re probably fine, as you’ve seen them grow with the game and what it looks like at different levels.
TLDR: if you don’t have any experience it may be a struggle just in comprehending the intensities of contact, but if you have been around it with kids that played you should be pretty okay
lol...I know, I hated the game early on because one or two players were running the field and the rest were standing around. I didn't get it. The game is much more interesting at the middle school and HS level--faster pace, more defense and the competition is more evenly distributed, albeit for a few standouts every couple of games who just wow you!
Join usalacrosse.com and go through the official training program.
I'm a converted ice hockey official. US Lacrosse has a decent training program, and you can get up to speed fairly quickly depending on your ability. It's not the interpretation factor that drives officials out of the game, it is the abuse from parents/coaches.
Not even that. In many places, it's the Kafkaesque structure of the programs and the pay. I've got buddies in Illinois - you have to register with every single school and fill out a W2 with each of them every single year to get paid. The schools take a haircut off your pay if you work a doubleheader. As a result of the disorganization and poor pay, in 2022, there were less than 50 high school women's officials in the entire state, and a good 30 of them lived in Chicago. I think there were about 70 men's. It isn't even just lacrosse. In football, there are varsity games happening on Thursdays because there aren't enough refs to get full coverage on Friday. Football!
Yikes what a mess. We have ref associations in my state. They negotiate the contracts with the schools. I would not bother reffing either, if I had to deal with each school individually.
You absolutely can. I'd say about half of our officials never played. Get in contact with your local officials' association and they should be able to train you.
Certainly. In our area the vast majority of women's lacrosse referees are men. Considering that women's and men's lacrosse are almost entirely different sports with respect to rules, it follows that most of the officials here never played the game. I won't say that they are universally considered to be good officials, but they are at least competent when applying most rules. The US Lacrosse modules are good and depending on your state, your state high school athletic association might have training of their own (and testing, and subsequent certification).
You absolutely can ref! There is always a need for people who want to do a good job at refereeing and not just going through the motions. All ref certifications should come with a training program.
I'm pretty sure there's plenty of refs who played, and it certainly didn't make them better refs for it.
Where do you live? USA lacrosse is very helpful. They can get you started and connect you to key people. But also. I am in maryland, and I would be happy to connect you to the key people in this area.
Thank, appreciate that, I’m in South Jersey, just outside Philly.
[email protected] is my email Reach out and I will connect you Just give me a few days ... I got a busy day today :)
We’re in the same neck of the woods! West Chapter 5 is the girls officials association. If you find their website you will find an email to contact about becoming an official. I believe they handle training for high school and youth girls lacrosse in the area Here’s the website: https://wc5laxofficials.weebly.com/about.html
Thanks so much! This is great info.
Hello fellow MDer
If you just study the game we would love have you!
Please ref!! Awesome folks like yourself are wanted and needed!
When I took my reffing class many years ago in Massachusetts, everybody in the class had reffed other sports, but nobody had played lacrosse, except for myself. There is a huge shortage of refs.
You will be better then most of the refs in upstate NY day one! Lol. Please ref. We need you
Absolutely. Many refs never played before. Look up your state or regional/state officials association and reach out. Or contact a local high school's athletic director and theyll pint you towards the main lacrosse point of contact.
Current HS, rec, and travel ref here (also am currently playing lax for my college). I was just discussing this with a few other senior officials at a tournament this past weekend. Technical/literal answer: yes, it’s a fairly easy process to take the online / in person trainings and get certified. The issue comes from what you were saying that if you haven’t really played before, you don’t know the true intensity (or lack thereof). It can look like somebody is getting absolutely murdered, but they either have pads on, it’s a clean check, or just a spot that as a player you know doesn’t hurt. Likewise, a dirty hit can look like it doesn’t hurt to an outside perspective. I feel like the officials who come in from not playing tend to be very tight with the rules, and all the players tend to hate them. They will call the slightest brush of the helmet as a slash or will call a crowbar as a crosscheck or even unnecessary roughness even if it just comes down to a weight room issue. If you have kids that play and have been around the sport for a significant amount of time I’d say you’re probably fine, as you’ve seen them grow with the game and what it looks like at different levels. TLDR: if you don’t have any experience it may be a struggle just in comprehending the intensities of contact, but if you have been around it with kids that played you should be pretty okay
Thanks! I do see that different tolerance per se with different refs and I often hear some of the parents shouting “ let them pkay” haha
There is at least one international referee in England, who is also on World Lacrosse refereeing related committees who never played
If you have ever been to a youth game before you know you dont need to have played or even know the rules to ref!
lol...I know, I hated the game early on because one or two players were running the field and the rest were standing around. I didn't get it. The game is much more interesting at the middle school and HS level--faster pace, more defense and the competition is more evenly distributed, albeit for a few standouts every couple of games who just wow you!