FAQ

7 Steps to Becoming a Women's Lacrosse Official Send an email to your local Umpire Board indicating you are interested in becoming a Women's Lacrosse Umpire. If you want to officiate in the Orange and​ Riverside County area, send an email to Steve Perry. Give us your contact information (name, address, email, phone and indicate if you are interested in umpiring youth only or all levels of lacrosse), and we will use it only to get in touch with you about lacrosse training clinics. Attend an Officials Clinic! At the clinic, you will be taught the rules of the game as well as how to control the match so it is played in a safe and fair manner. You will also be given the information on how to complete your umpire training as well as how to join US Lacrosse. Join an Umpire Association! At the conclusion of the New OfficialsClinic, you will be provided a form to join an Officials Association. For a nominal membership fee, you receive training and assignments once you receive a rating. New umpires will need to provide themselves a whistle, lanyard, flag, warning cards, a black-and-white striped shirt, black shorts/kilt and black shoes. Join US Lacrosse! All members are required to join US Lacrosse before umpiring any games. US Lacrosse provides umpires with insurance, rule books and training. NEW members will receive information regarding joining US Lacrosse at the new umpire clinic, or can join at the first meeting - returning umpires must renew their membership with US Lacrosse online prior to the September 30 annual renewal date. Take the Umpire test! Upon completion of classroom training and joining US Lacrosse, y ou will need to take and pass the annual Rules Examination. All umpires must pass an annual rules test based on the level of play they officiate. Passing scores and determined by your ratin gand are as follows: Youth/Junior = 80% or better on "Youth Rules Test" Apprentice = 80% or better on "USL Rules Test" AND 8/10 on "Youth Questions" Local = 86% or better on "USL Rules Test" AND 8/10 on "Youth Questions" District = 90% of better on "USL Rules Test" AND 8/10 on "Youth Questions" or 8/10 and/or "NCAA Questions" National = 92% or better on "USL Rules Test" AND 8/10 on "Youth Questions" or 8/10 and/or "NCALL Questions" Get field trained and rated! Upon completion of classroom instruction, umpires will be scheduled for field training, during which they will umpire on the field with a mentor/trainer and receive additional instruction. If successful, the will receive a rating. Register with Arbiter, our assigning software. Once you are ca certified umpire, we will create a user account for you on Arbiter. Your assignments to games will come to you via email and will be available for viewing online at http://www.arbitersports.com. Note: All umpires in our Associations are required to attend an Annual Rules interpretation at the start of the seasons, usually in late January.​​​​​

Last updated: 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim For existing/returning referees: 1. pay your OCUB dues 2. Have a valid USA Lacrosse membership a. Under your user profile, your "involvement" should be "Official", and "Game Type" should be Women's/Girl's b. You should have a valid (unexpired) background check c. Basically on the landing page, you should see under "Your Profile" that it says - "Official" next to your picture - Under your Membership number, it should show "Valid thru:" a date like 11/2025 and "Background Check Expiration" should show a valid date like 11/10/2025 3. complete the NFHS test and the professional development course a. login to https://www.usalacrosse.com b. click on "My Transcript" c. You should complete the courses: i. Girls Officials Annual Certification (2025) - (OFFGIRLSANN25), which is comprised of: - Girls Officials - Rules and Penalties Course (Comp-2123) - Girls Officials - 2025 Professional Development (Comp-9143) ii. Girls Officials - 2025 NFHS Rules Exam iii. If you are going to ref youth games, then also complete Girls Officials - 2025 Youth Rules Exam iv. Girls Officials - 2025 High School Rules Interpretations and forward the certificate to Steve Perry 4. You may need to attend classroom training, field training and/or game evaluation depending on your referee level

You can buy OCUB gear at this web site

Last Updated: 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim OCUB dues for 2025 are $60 for adults and $30 for youth officials. Adult members who are away at college will pay $30. You can Venmo the money to @oclaxub Zelle the money to OCUB at 949-293-0385 or write a check to OCUB and mail it to: Nicole Wallevand 8 Las Castanetas Rancho Santa Margarita 92688-3220.

Last Updated: 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim When you become a registered official of USA Lacrosse, you are entitled to a free digital copy of the rule book. See this web page for instructions on how to get it. The same page also has instructions on purchasing a printed copy.

Last Updated: 2025-Feb-16 by D.Lim From USA Lacrosse: - Pregame_responsibilities - pregame checklist

Last updated 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim Here is a link to the 2025 Girls High school rules interpretation presentation.

Last updated: 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim See Mary Pluff's google document for the 2025 Lacrosse Penalty Administration Cheat Sheet For reference here is Mary Pluff's 2024 Lacrosee Penalty Administration Cheat Sheet

Last Updated: 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim From Mary Pluff's post on the dashboard of Arbiter dated 2025-Feb-15 2 - CIF Misconduct & Injury Reports - Below is the process we need to follow when a player receives a RED card in any NFHS regular season and post season games: • Notify the coach after the game that the player, per CIF and NFHS guidelines has been ejected, and she is unable to participate in the next played game. • Forfeited games do not count for this suspension, only played games. • Make sure you get the players name and jersey number. • Complete the CIF Misconduct report immediately after the game. • Completing the CIF Misconduct report is MANDATORY. • Discuss with your partner which one will complete the form, but make sure it is done. • For Orange County schools, select Paul Caldera as the liaison.  • For Riverside County schools, select Dennis Pratt as the liaison.  • Once you click the Submit button, the report is sent to the liaison and you will receive a copy for your records. Please send a copy of the report to Steve Perry.  • Click here to go to the CIF Misconduct & Injury Report on the CIF website. • Under the Sport section, choose Lacrosse in the drop down. • Password is (not shown - see the post in Arbiter). • Then click sign in. • Remember: There are no longer ejection reports needed for 2 yellow cards given to the same number during the same game!! Click here for the CIF-SS ejection instructions.

Last Updated: 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim From Steve Perry (circa 2024-Mar-08) Off sides fouls should be an immediate whistle and a stop the clock foul in every quarter unless there is a 10 goal differential. It takes time to administer the penalty, stop the clock, get the players in the correct position and then re-start play.

Last Updated : 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim From Steve Perry (circa 2024-Mar-08): that team will play down one player for the remainder of the game. They must always have 4 defenders back on both ends of the field. If they receive a 5th card, they must play 2 players short on the offensive and defensive side of the field.

Last Updated: 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim From Steve Perry (circa 2024-Mar-08): A green card in high school rules is a penalty but not punishable by a one minute trip to the penalty box. If any team receives two green cards, that turns into a yellow card which is a 2 minute penalty for the girl who committed the second green card. . Some of our officials do numerous levels of games so make sure to remember what level you are officiating and what are the proper penalty administration for your contest.

Last Updated: 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim From Steve Perry (circa 2024-Mar-08): The horizontal stick is an immediate call and should be whistled from the start of the game. Make sure your pre game conference with the coaches and players emphasizes the enforcement of the rule and if players do not adjust to our warning, be prepared to card them for repetitive major fouls. If a defender makes contact with an offensive player with their stick in the 10 and 4 position, that is not a foul. As long as there is no displacement or pushing, the stick position is legal. The stick does not have to be upright or 11 and 5.

Last Update: 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim From Steve Perry (circa 2024-Mar-08): If a defender has her feet in front of the player she is guarding and she checks the stick away from the body of the ball carrier, that is not a foul. And you can check across the body on any stick out front and away from the players body.

Last Update: 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim From Steve Perry (circa 2024-Mar-08): If a defender is preventing an offensive player from going to goal or through the 8, with or without the ball , that is a detaining foul. Numerous teams will try to stop players cutting through the scoring area, be aware of those defensive tactics.

Last Updated: 2025-Feb-15 by D.Lim From Steve Perry (circa 2024-Mar-08) Coaches, fans and players must behave in a professional, respectful manner at all times.  Make sure you know who the game administrator is in case of unruly people at your game.  Don't wait till it escalates, handle it immediately.