FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We are here to help & no question is silly so please ask us any and all of your questions.
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What is the Referee Uniform?
- Solid Black Short (with belt loops)
- Solid Black Undershirt
- Striped, Collared Referee shirt iwth Pocket.
- Black Hat with White Piping (unless League proves a different hat)
- All Black Shoes (No white logos. Use a sharpieif anything tomake them all black)
- Black Belt
- Yellow Penalty Flag (Minimum of 1) with a black weighted area
- Fox 40 Whistle (Finger or Lanyard is personal preference)
- Score Card/Pencil
- Belt Timer (Varsity Officials Only)
- Wrist watch with countdown timer (Optional)
Referee Shirt should be tucked in at all times, flag should be tucked into front of shorts, no Jewelry should be visible unless medically related.
HS Officials must wear the FHSAA Shirt as seen here https://purchaseofficials.com/collections/florida-fhsaa-cfoa/products/florida-fhsaa-logo-football-lacrosse-shirt
Rec. League Officials must wear a similar stripped shirt without the FHSAA logo as seen here
https://purchaseofficials.com/collections/football-shirts/products/smitty-1-stripe-shirt
How much do I get paid per game?
Game fees vary based on what kind of game you officiate. Varsity/Junior Varsity/Middle School/Youth League/Summer Tournament Games all have a different pay scale. The full breakdown can be found on our game fees & payment site.
How do you get paid from your game?
Payment varies depending on the game.
– Some schools in FHSAA Varsity/JV/Middle will pay cash or check while you are on property. Others will mail you a check or pay through Refpay (Arbiter Pay). You may be requested to send in a 1099 to some schools if you frequent them often.
– BCAA (Broward County Public School games) will use direct deposit that you need to setup. Details can be found HERE.
– SFYLL uses Refpay (Arbiter Pay) so it is best to set that up immediately to receive payment after a game. *It is not recommended to use automatic transfer to your bank since it has a fee while manually starting the transfer is free.
– Tournaments usually pay after the tournment by cash/check/venmo or will mail you your check.
Length of Games?
High School:
Varsity | Four Quarters – 12 Minutes Stop Clock
Junior Varsity | Four Quarters – 10 Minutes Stop Clock
Middle School:
Four Quarters – 8 Minutes Stop or 12 Minutes Running Clock
SFYLL (Youth League):
6U | Four Q’s – 10 minute running quarters (whistle at 5 minutes for quick substitution only)
8U, 10U | Four Q’s – 12 minute running
12U, 14U | Four Q’s – 15 minute running
FLL (Men’s League)
Four Quarters – 20 Minute Running Clock
Conflict of Interest
Please note the FHSAA Guidebook, 1.06. 4 years is the mandated hiatus
(6) No FHSAA official may officiate a contest involving a school in all the following stipulations within the last four (4) years:
- His/her child or immediate relative attends or attended
- The official himself/herself and/or a relative works or worked
- The official attended, graduated or coached
(7) No FHSAA official may officiate a varsity district contest in which the official currently serves as a coach at a school in that particular district.
Any Member that plans to officiate Youth Lacrosse
- Must be an active member of USA Lacrosse https://membership.uslacrosse.org/login
- Take the Boys Online Rules Course (after login) uslacrosse-nle.myabsorb.com/#/online-courses/3e8b6932-386e-43a3-a90c-5269d5fbe00d
- Take the Professional Development Course uslacrosse-nle.myabsorb.com/#/online-courses/c5256c94-22f1-4318-ab80-fc305f3c17c1
- Take the USA Lacrosse Boys Exam https://uslacrosse-nle.myabsorb.com/#/online-courses/283d797d-8627-4ff9-abd2-00aa4d502a89
Annual Testing Requirements
ANNUAL TESTING REQUIREMENTS for FHSAA Members.103.02 “75” Required to Officiate Varsity Contest.
(1) In order for an FHSAA official to officiate varsity level contests, the
official must receive a grade of 75 or higher on the current year FHSAA online rules examination in the applicable sport. Any official who does not take the regularly scheduled FHSAA online rules examination will receive a grade of zero and will be ineligible to officiate varsity level contests during the current school year, or sub-varsity contests until the fine is paid or waived. Local officials associations may not assign officials who are not in compliance with this provision to officiate varsity or sub-varsity level contests.
The following section is under review
Annual Testing Requirements for USL Members requires the completion of two additional exams
All officials are required to complete the 2022 Youth Boys Lacrosse Rules Exam and the 2019 Boys Lacrosse Rules Exam
ACCESS EXAMS
Accessing the Exams
- Login at www.learning.uslacrosse.org
- Click on “Catalog”
- Click on “Officiating Courses”
- Click “Add to Cart”
- Proceed to your cart and once completed you will be able to access the exam under “My Courses”
ACCESS EXAMS
All officials are reminded it is best to take the test on paper, and then log into the exam to enter their answers.
These tests are provided to men’s and women’s game officials as a US Lacrosse member benefit. The only way to insure that your test grade is accurately recorded is to take the test online. Other organizations utilizing this or any questions contained within these tests to fulfill a requirement of their organization, outside of the US Lacrosse e-Learning platform, must have express written permission, may not charge a fee for the test, and understand that they are using the intellectual property of US Lacrosse.
Conflict of Interest
The following applies to FHSAA Contests:
(6) No FHSAA official may officiate a contest involving a school in all thefollowing stipulations within the last four (4) years:a. His/her child or immediate relative attends or attendedb. The official himself/herself and/or a relative works or workedc. The official attended, graduated or coached(7) No FHSAA official may officiate a varsity district contest in which the official Currently serves as a coach at a school in that particular district.
The following applies to SFYLL Contests and Tournaments:
1) No Youth Official may officiate a contest involving a family member, cousin or relative.
If an Official is assigned to a game under any of the above criteria, it is the Officials responsibility to contact the assignor to be removed from the game.
Timeliness
Officials are required to be at the site ahead of scheduled game time.
Lateness will not be tolerated and officials are subject to fines and other penalties according to the bylaws.
High School 30 Minutes prior to scheduled start time
Middle School 15 Minutes prior to scheduled start time
Youth League 15 Minutes prior to scheduled start time
…If you’re early you’re on time. If you’re on time you’re late.
Artie S.
General SFLOA Polices for Officials
- Ensure you keep your contact information, availability, and blocks updated on the Arbiter.
- Note NFHS (Federation) Mercy Rule — if one team is up by 12 or more goals in the 2nd half, then go to a running clock.
- Schools, Tournament Directors and Youth League Directors must provide adequate security for officials. Find out who the site coordinator is before the game begins. The home team is responsible for security. Do not allow fans to congregate behind the team bench areas.
- If you are officiating a game that has not been assigned through an SFLOA Assignor, then SFLOA has no responsibility to you financially or in any support role whatsoever.
- It is expected that SFLOA members will make themselves available for SFLOA assigned games as their priority. Repeatedly ignoring this could result in suspension or expulsion from SFLOA.
- It is the Referee’s obligation to contact the Umpires(s) 24 hours prior to contest to arrange meeting time and location.
- You should plan on meeting at least 30 minutes prior to game for all varsity contests and 15 minutes for sub-varsity contests.
- Report any player/coach misconducts using the Incident Report form within 24 hours of the contest.
- Get in, do the job, then leave. Do not loiter on the field or in the parking lot following a game!