Refereeing turf's fastest sport requires speed and agility. Lacrosse, second only to ice hockey in terms of dry-land game velocity, and first in terms of grass field athletics, is a technical game featuring stick-handling and ball-passing. As a referee, your skill set must match that of the players, whose quickness and athleticism forces you to interpret split-second plays and decide legal rulings almost instantaneously.
National Development Resources
Developing competent lacrosse officials is a business unto itself, as evidenced by the United States Lacrosse Officials' Training Program. US Lacrosse, the national governing body, oversees clinical sessions for officials-in-training directed by experienced lacrosse umpires, and ongoing training for current officials who need to keep their certification current. USL Men's and Women's Division Officials Councils and the USL Men's and Women's Division Collegiate Officials Committees regularly send experienced umpires into the community to recruit and teach. Explore the USL website for development tips.
Physical Fitness And Game Rules
Since you may be running several miles during the course of a game, training as a runner -- emphasizing both sprinting ability and long-distance endurance -- is important. Daily workouts including 45 to 90 minute steady runs with intervals of 30-second hard running will keep your leg muscles and cardiovascular system in top shape for lacrosse officiating. The more experienced the players, the more the game's speed increases, meaning the more your total running distance, states the National Association Of Sports Officials -- which adds that you may be required to officiate more than one game a day. You must also learn game rules according to whether the players are male or female, and whether the league is youth, interscholastic or professional. Hand signals, too, must be mastered.
Equipment And Financial Requirements
As a new official, part of your training involves working with specific equipment. You must purchase sanctioned clothing and gear, which can cost $100 to $300. The NASO specifies referee shirts and jackets with one-inch black/white stripes and black collars and cuffs; black undershirts; black kilts or pants for women; white knee-length shorts or black pants for men; black shoes or cleats; black hats or visors; and black whistles and bags. You must obtain rule books, pens and scoring papers, color-coded warning cards and penalty flags, and a coin for determining play order. You will have to pay yearly officiating fees, and your pay will differ per game location and status; youth leagues stipends average $25 per game; high schools, $60; and college and professional, $100 to $200.
From Youth to Scholastic to College to Pro
Youth leagues provide you, as a new referee, the chance to get a feel for the game's rhythms, increase on-field experience and apply rulings consistently and confidently. Youth leagues allow you to finesse skills before moving up to faster high school and college games. If you are a new high school referee, familiarize yourself with the National Federation of State High School Associations, which provides girls' and boys' lacrosse rule revisions. Be sure you have complete confidence officiating high school games before officiating at college and professional levels. As with the players themselves, your skills must advance to match the speed and physicality of the game being played.
References
- Poynton Lacrosse: The Fastest Game On Two Feet: The Origins Of Lacrosse
- US Lacrosse: The USL Officials' Training Program, Women's Division Officials Council
- National Association Of Sports Officials: How To Become An Official: Lacrosse /lacrosse.html
- US Lacrosse: Rules -- Men's Rules, Women's Rules, Youth Rules
- National Federation of State High School Associations: Officials Area
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