USA Lacrosse Certification

This page details the steps every official must take in order to complete your USA Lacrosse certification. Officials who are between 14 and 18 years old and still in high school MUST complete USL certification in order to work.  Adults (over 18 and high school graduates) are encouraged to complete their USA Lacrosse certification as that will be the only insurance other than their personal insurance when they work non-GHSA games. In addition, many summer and fall tournaments now require officials have USA Lacrosse certification.

Classes for youth officials are ONLY held in August.

Adults are trained in the Fall and in January prior to the Spring high school season

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you read ALL of this information carefully. 

USA Lacrosse Membership

All youth officials (14-18 and not graduated from high school) MUST be USA Lacrosse members.

Adults who plan to do GHSA games who are not USAL members are encouraged, but not required to join.  Adults who only want to work youth games MUST be USAL members. 

Non-USA Lacrosse Adult Members

Adult officials (18+ and graduated from high school) who are not USAL members must take the Fall GLOA Rules Exam and pass with an 85 or higher. All Adult officials who work GHSA games are required to take the GHSA clinic and test in January prior to the Spring season.

Five Steps to Completing Certification

To become a certified USA lacrosse Official you must complete ALL five (5) of these requirements.

Please click the links to learn more about each step.

1. 1. Register with USA Lacrosse. Many of the problems that arise are a result of expired or linked memberships. If there is a problem you will need to call the US Lacrosse members services at (410) 235-6882, ext. #102 or email [email protected]. Do not use your parent’s email address!  
      
      
   2. Complete the “Boys’ Lacrosse Rules Online Course” and the “Boys Officials Officials Annual Professional Development” the USA Lacrosse Learning Platform. This course is a brief introduction to the rules and officiating. THIS IS NOT THE RULES TEST. 
      
      
   3. Attend the five ONLINE class sessions with GLOA.  Please plan to arrive a few minutes early to get settled and checked in. Zoom links will be emailed to you after you have registered and completed payment.

      More information will be sent out once you have registered.  If you are unable to do so or have a conflict we will work with you to schedule a game on another date. However, If you can’t complete this field training this fall you start the process over. 

   4. Pass BOTH the Boys High School and Youth Tests (90% or higher). These must be taken online through USA Lacrosse! Please wait to take these AFTER you have your rule book and have taken the class.
      
      
   5. Complete Field Training Day. You MUST be in full uniform for these games. Participants must attend one (1) of the two shifts on scheduled date and will be able to sign up for their shift once they have completed all the three zoom sessions and all USA Lacrosse requirements. 

Accessing USA Lacrosse E-Learning

Log in to your USA Lacrosse account.

• You must use the email you have registered with your USA Lacrosse account.
• You CANNOT your parents email!
• If you log in and your parent or guardians name appears, DO NOT continue, we cannot transfer tests etc to your name.  If you take it under your parents name you will need to retake it. 
• DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE!
• If there is an issue logging in or they are asking you to pay, you need to call USA Lacrosse member services. 
• Please complete on a laptop or desktop computer. You may experience technical issues on tablet or mobile browsers.

USA Lacrosse Member Services

Once logged in, select the Red Tab in the upper right of the page called: My Account.

Once in your account, select the Red E-Learning button to the right of your profile picture. 

This will take you to the USA Lacrosse E-Learning platform where you can access all of the courses you need to complete for initial certification as well as annual recertification. 

Courses

• • Boys Lacrosse Rules Course (Initial Certification)
  • USA Lacrosse Cultural Competency (Initial Certification)
  • Boys Officials Professional Development Course (Annual)
  • Boys High School Rules Test (Annual)
  • Boys Youth Rules Test (Annual)

Note that the E-Learning platform has a number of courses that will help you become a better official.

You must listen to all videos and may not fast forward.  Complete all sections of each course and answer questions by clicking on the Knowledge Check button if it is available. You cannot continue until you have completed a Knowledge Check.

Once done with a course you can return to the entire catalog of courses, by clicking the All Course button at the top left of the page by your profile icon (middle of the three red buttons).

Payment

The cost of the Fall training is $65.00.

All participants will receive an NFHS Rule Book, USAL Mechanics Manual, a copy of the GLOA Game Guide, GLOA shirt, laminated rookie pregame, Fox 40 Finger Whistle, and a penalty flag.

At the end of the registration form for each class, you will be prompted with a venmo QR code.  

Registration is NOT complete until payment has processed. 

If you are having difficulty completing payment, please contact Greg Hite at [email protected].

Communication Policy 

Becoming an official is a serious undertaking.  Your child will be responsible for maintaining a safe, fair and fun contest ever time they officiate. They are in charge, not the coaches or the parents.  When they join a league or association, they will be responsible for regularly communicating with assignors, league and team administrators, and fellow officials.

Officials MUST have their own email address. Parents can not share an email address with their child. 

If you have a question, YOUR CHILD should be the one to contact me. 

Uniform

GLOA Youth Shirt

Getting Games

As we stated in class USA Lacrosse DOES NOT assign games.

 

In order to get games, you need to join a league or association. 

 

Youth ONLY registration.

The only men’s lacrosse officials association in Georgia is the Georgia Lacrosse Officials Association (GLOA), that is the group that all GHSA officials are members of.  The group that ran your training was the GLOA. That

 

If you can’t drive, may also contact your local youth team or your high school coach to see how they assign officials; it may through GLOA or the league may assign officials themselves. 

 

ArbiterSports

 

Most leagues (but not all) use an online assigning system called ArbiterSports (think of it as Signup Genius on steroids).

 

Once your application has been approved by your league or association, they will send you an email inviting you to their arbiter account.  Be sure to be on the lookout for that email as it might go to your spam folder.  

 

Here is an article on how to use Arbiter.

Remember: You must check your email DAILY. 

If you do not accept a game, you will be removed after a few days and assignors will be unlikely to assign you again.  If you accept a game, you MUST show up for the game.  If you do not block a date, you are telling the assignor you are available, so be sure to update and manage your calendar REGULARLY.

 

Recertification

You are certified through January. 

You should automatically receive a copy of the NFHS rule book from USA Lacrosse each year.  

 

Each spring you will need to recertify by:

• • renewing your USAL membership.
  • take the latest NFHS and Youth tests.
  • watching the latest rules videos.
  • attending the free GLOA ONLINE recertification clinic.

Adult officials must also attend training sessions in January. 

Be sure to check galaxref.com regularly for updates.  

You must continue to put work into being a referee by staying in the rule book and the mechanics manual, working games and asking questions.  Remember, this is the beginning of your training not the end of it!  If you have any questions please let us know!

 

As always if you have questions, please reach out to me.