Eligibility
Any member of US Lacrosse, above the age of 14, may become a US Lacrosse official.

Membership Requirements
Becoming a US Lacrosse Youth Official is as simple as 1-2-3.
 
1) Take the US Lacrosse MDOC Level One Training Class* frequently offered in your area (see MDOC Training).
2) Pass the Level One training exam that is attached to the training documents**.
3) Establish your membership with US Lacrosse in the category of "Official". If you are already a US Lacrosse member, then you will have to establish your membership as a "cross participant" maintaining what your previous membership status was, and adding your status as a lacrosse official (see USL Membership).
 
Officials who do not meet these three requirements will not be considered as US Lacrosse Officials for assignment purposes, and cannot work US Lacrosse games***.
 
    *  All former US Lacrosse officials were "grandfathered" into the Youth Officiating Committee in 2003.  
  **  Level One testing covers a generic blend of NFSHSA and NCAA lacrosse rules (See Rules).
***  Officials with significant experience who are applying to US Lacrosse for membership may request a waiver of the Level One training requirement from their Regional YOC Representative. Level Two training can be substituted in lieu of the Level One program. All other membership requirements still apply.
 
Continued Membership as an MDOC/YOC Official
Level One training need only be taken and passed one time. In you second year of youth officiating, you need only meet the annual membership requirements, and any additional annual testing requirements, as established by the MDOC. Annual officials memberships are renewed on October 1st of every calendar year.
 
Officiating Categories
There are three different "categories" of YOC officials that have been developed for assigning purposes only. All three of these assigning categories must meet the general membership requirements listed above. Coordination of your assignment schedule will take place with your Local Officials Assignor (LOA).
 
• MDOC/YOC Regular Official - meets the membership requirements listed above, and receives a schedule of games from the assignor.
• MDOC/YOC Auxiliary Official - meets the membership requirements listed above, but does not receive a schedule of games from the assignor. Auxiliary officials carry their uniforms to their children’s games, and only take the field if one or both of the assigned officials are unable to meet their responsibilities.
• MDOC/YOC Junior Official - meets the membership requirements listed above, and receives a schedule of games from the assignor based upon the "two year separation rule."  All Junior Officials are under the age of 18. No Junior Official may referee a game unless there is at least two year separation in age between the official and the oldest player. Thus, a 17-year old official may referee a U-15 game, but not a U-16 game. No one under the age of 14 may serve as a Junior Official. Every effort will be made to pair Junior Officials with experienced Regular Officials.
 
Cross Gender Officiating Status
MDOC Officials are encouraged to consider officiating opportunities that exist with the Women’s Division Officials Council (WDOC), our counterpart on the women’s side of the sport. If you are registered as an MDOC Official, there is not an additional membership charge to become a WDOC umpire. However, the cost of additional training materials does apply.

USL-MDOC Membership Benefits  
It is easy to overlook the depth of benefits that all MDOC YOC Officials derive from their US Lacrosse membership. US Lacrosse benefits are both tangible (above the line) and intangible (below the line) in terms of a return on your membership dollars. MDOC and WDOC Officials receive a disproportionate amount of funding, given the combined membership of both the MDOC and the WDOC. All of these resources that are poured into referee development ultimately come back 

• Tangible Benefits
The tangible benefits of US Lacrosse membership are those physical re-numerations that impact you directly. Lacrosse magazine, officials insurance, E-mail newsletters, member discounts, member access to the Lacrosse Museum and Hall of Fame, and National and Regional Events that are sponsored by US Lacrosse.

• Intangible Benefits
In addition to those tangible benefits derived from US Lacrosse membership, there are many infrastructure programs and projects that indirectly benefit all MDOC Officials. The local US Lacrosse Chapter structures support referee development and often offer incentive packages to new officials. US Lacrosse Sports Development addresses many of the problems that face the expansion of the game. The National Partnership and Affinity Programs channel resources to the game.
 
Because the MDOC is a 100% volunteer organization, we rely heavily on the support of the US Lacrosse Staff. The USL staff handles a great deal of our administrative load, which includes everything from processing your membership applications and renewals, to developing and distributing every piece of training material— from  videotapes and DVDs, to e-mail notifications, Power Point presentations, and printed manuals. Our national training programs delineate an increasingly clear path for career progression; and the development and maintenance of our officials database provides  a greater potential to keep vital information  flowing to our MDOC members. Additionally, he MDOC is eligible for a variety of development grants for new programs and new officiating technologies. All of these resources are derived from your membership dues.
 
As volunteers, US Lacrosse officials have full-time jobs to maintain. Without this intangible, infrastructure support, derived solely from our membership dues, lacrosse officiating would not be making the enormous strides that it is currently enjoying. In truth, MDOC and WDOC officials receive are larger return on their membership dollar (through the development of officiating infrastructure) than any other group in the US Lacrosse family.

• Return to Main Officials Page
• Men's Division Officials Council