US Lacrosse will be holding a Level 2 LAREDO in Kennesaw, GA at the NXT Summer Jam Tournament, June 10-12. This is a great opportunity for GLOA officials to improve their game. Spots are reserved for local officials to participate in the program.
Since the late 1980s, the LAREDO (LAcrosse REferee DevelOpment) Program has provided training and professional development for lacrosse officials around the country. Originally designed to teach 3-person mechanics to officials in the western United States at events like the Vail Lacrosse Shootout and the Texas A&M fall ball tournament, the program has now spread across the country.
Application
In order to apply for a LAREDO, you must be:
- US Lacrosse Member
- Recommended by local assigner or LOA board
- In shape
- Know the NFHS rules and two-man mechanics
- Willing to listen, learn and apply feedback
Interested officials should apply at either link below and notifications go out at least 1.5 months ahead of the clinic start date to allow enough time to secure travel and lodging.
LAREDO 2 Summer Application Form
LAREDO 3 Summer Application Form
Check out these two blog posts for more information on what to expect.
- Things I Learned at the Vail LAREDO 3 – Greg Hite
- The Worst Evaluation Ever – Gordon Corsetti
The online application can be found here.
The clinics near and around Georgia are:
- Kennesaw, GA – LAREDO 2 June 10-12
- Louisville, KY – LAREDO 2 June 24-26
- Chapel Hill, NC – LAREDO 3 July 27-30
Two clinics for up-and-coming officials who are ready for a significant challenge are:
- Indianapolis, IN – LAREDO 2 July 21-24
This clinic is hosted at the USL U15 National Championships and features the best U15 teams from around the country. - Vail, CO – LAREDO 3 June 25-29
This clinic is one of the most challenging LAREDOs due to the competition and the 8,000 feet of elevation.
LAREDO utilizes regional lacrosse tournaments along with summer and fall lacrosse camps as sites for concentrated lacrosse officiating development. The philosophy behind the LAREDO program is to make these clinics accessible to all lacrosse officials from around the country. This balanced representation enables officials from developing and established areas to polish their officiating skills under the instruction of a qualified trainer.
Originally this program only offered a 3-person mechanics LAREDO (now known as LAREDO – Level 3), and now US Lacrosse offers the three distinct levels that you see below.
LAREDO Level 1, 2 and 3
All clinics use NFHS rules. It is expected that officials know the rules and mechanics, are in shape, willing accept constructive criticism and work on incorporating recommendations into their game.
- Level 1 clinics are designed for both established and developing areas that need help in the basic recruiting, training, retaining, and observing of officials. These clinics focus primarily on the classroom training requirements for certification for both new and returning officials. There is no application for LAREDO 1 clinics as they are open to all interested local officials. Registration fee is $100 for a two-day event, $25 for each additional day.
- Level 2 clinics are designed for 2-person mechanics and are geared toward officials looking to develop their skills and become stronger overall officials. These clinics combine classroom training with a heavy emphasis of repeated on-field observations for immediate, actionable feedback from the clinicians. Registration fee is $125 for a two-day event, $50 for each additional day.
- Level 3 clinics are designed for 3-person mechanics and more advanced levels of play. These clinics are for officials who have demonstrated strong ability in 2-person mechanics, and are ready to start officiating higher level games that require three officials and stronger game management skills. LAREDO Level 3 clinics combine classroom training and challenging on-field observations that emphasize proper positioning and a focus on key areas of responsibility.
All trainees receive daily verbal feedback from clinicians, written feedback in a timely manner after event and free US Lacrosse merchandise. Officials DO NOT receive game fees.
Costs may be defrayed by the GLOA through the Kevin Moore Fund. If you have been accepted and would like to request funds to help cover the cost of attending, email Landon Hunsucker at [email protected].
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Play on!
Greg Hite