- All participants in South Carolina lacrosse are required to be members of US Lacrosse, including players, coaches and officials. This ensures that everyone receives the same rules information as well as insurance coverage for any lacrosse-related incidents.
- See USA Lacrosse for the latest membership Fees which includes a rule book – which you will need to pass the rules exams and more...Click here for the latest benefits.
- Here is the link to sign up: http://www.usalacrosse.org/membership.aspx
- If you have already joined USA Lacrosse as a player or coach, you will need to add the “official” designation to your account. This will get you access (at no cost) to the online course, tests, and the USL Central Hub hosted on ArbiterSports.com.
- Take the online course at USA Lacrosse.
- This course is a lacrosse introduction/refresher. It’s broken up into sections so you can complete it at your own pace, and only takes about an hour. The sections are not long, but there are periodic “quizzes”, so plan on staying at your phone/tablet/computer.
- Use your USA Lacrosse username and password at this link: learning.uslacrosse.org
- Click on “Catalog”
- Select “Official Education & Development”
- Click "Officials Rules Courses for New Certifying Officials"
- Add the men’s course to cart (If the cost is more than $0.00, see above on adding the “official” designation to your USL account.)
- Proceed through checkout steps
- Launch course
- Pass the rules exams. There are two open book exams that you must take to be eligible to officiate high school games.
- USA Lacrosse Youth and High School Rules Exam.
- NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules Test.
Accessing USA Lacrosse Exam...
- Use your USA Lacrosse username and password at this link: learning.uslacrosse.org
- Click on “Catalog”
- Click “Official Education & Development”
- Click "OED Annual Rules Exams"
- Click "2023 Boy's Officials Rules Exam"
- Click "Boys Youth & High School Rules Exam"
Accessing NFHS Rules Exam...
- Log into "Arbiter"
- Go to the "SCHSL Central Hub" view
- Click on the "Testing" Tab - https://schsl.arbitersports.com/front/101800/Test
- Click on the 202X NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules exam
- Read the instructions carefully to begin the test.
Note: you can stop and save your answers and comeback as needed up to the testing deadline and you have multiple attempts to get a passing score on the exam.
- Attend a certification clinic.
- While it may change in the future, but we have structured online clinics and on field clinics coordinated around team practices, scrimmages (see below) and playdays leading up to the start of the regular season. Your assignor will provide the schedules.
- Dues can be paid online. The cost is $50. Dues are used to pay for your Arbiter account fees, clinics and training expenses, observations, supplies, etc. No compensation is made to directors or officers for serving in those roles aside from waiving their annual dues.
- To pay dues use Venmo @SC-LacrosseOfficialsAssn.
- Work scrimmages / shadow.
- This is where you get to step on the field and work alongside experienced officials. We employ shadowing and sideline evaluations to help you put your classroom learning and self-study into action.
- Scrimmage dates will be communicated by your the regional assignors in the Coastal, Midlands and Upstate regions
- ArbiterSports.com is used to assign High School level games. For recreation and tournaments each assignor coordinate and set schedules outside of AribiterSports.com.
- You have the ability (and responsibility) to block full or partial days when you are unavailable. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE keep your calendar blocks updated. The more games you decline, the more our assigners will question your desire to officiate, and less games will be offered to you.
- You may also enter limitations on the distance you are willing to travel for games. The site makes these calculations automatically, so you can define your starting point on weekdays or weekends by entering your work/school and home zip codes. Out-of-region travel is handled differently and you will only be assigned to such games by pre-arrangement with your assigner(s). Please refer to our fee schedule for information on regions and mileage reimbursement.
- See the References page on our website for a variety of instructional videos on navigating ArbiterSports, viewing your schedule, changing preferences, and much more: ArbiterSports Tips
- Acquire Uniform and Equipment.
- Being paid to officiate makes us professionals, and we owe it to ourselves, our crew members, and our association to look the part.
- Basic uniform includes: hat, jersey, black shorts and belt, black ankle socks, and all-black shoes.
- Basic equipment includes: whistle, flags, small tape measure, 20-second timer, and scorecard.
- See the SCLOA website for further details and where to find everything you need: Uniform Requirements
- SCLOA - $50 - Due January 21 - Venmo @SC-LacrosseOfficialsAssn
- SCHSL - $45 - Due February 1 - http://app.arbitersports.com/registration/official/register/3335
USA
- Lacrosse - $50 - Due February 1 - http://www.usalacrosse.org/membership.aspx
DISCLAIMER: Please note that while SCLOA strives to prepare all new and returning officials to work youth and high school lacrosse games, we are a volunteer organization with limited resources. As a result, the certification process depends heavily on the efforts of the individual. Learning the rules and mechanics, taking the exams, acquiring equipment, and developing field presence are all required tasks that can’t be accomplished solely in a classroom or at a scrimmage. Each individual will progress at his or her own pace, and some may not be ready to assume a role of authority when games are assigned. ecause of this, SCLOA cannot guarantee game assignments. If you have questions about your readiness and how you might accelerate it, please don’t hesitate to ask our trainers, observers and assigners.