ILOA Policies

  • Officials are responsible for ensuring they have all required uniform items and equipment.
  • Uniforms should be clean, not discolored, and in good condition. We want to present a professional image to teams and spectators.
  • Crews must wear matching uniforms (e.g., all wear shorts/rain pants, all wear long/short sleeve shirts).  If the crew cannot agree on uniform selections, the Referee will decide what is worn.
  • Shoes and any undergarments should be black and free of  designs, colors, or slogans that may show through the uniform.  If necessary, use a black sharpie to cover up any non-black details.

See the Uniform and Equipment Page for a list of required (and optional) uniform and equipment items.

  • Remember that you are a professional and that your demeanor reflects on the whole association. Please refer to the ILOA Code of Conduct for specific responsibilities as a member.
  • Ensure you keep your contact information, photograph, availability, and blocks updated on ArbiterSports.com.
  • The Referee for a given game is responsible for contacting coaches.  Please do so 3-4 days prior to the scheduled game.  (ArbiterSports sends email reminders 72 hours before game time.  It’s easy to forward this email to coaches and crew to ask for event confirmation.)
  • Crew members should contact one another prior to the game to arrange a meeting time and location.
  • Officials should plan to meet at least 30 minutes prior to game for all varsity contests and 20 minutes for sub-varsity contests.
  • For high school games, the referee must present certification cards listing the crew to each head coach during certification.  Follow the link or visit the Reference & Training Materials page for a downloadable PDF file for printing these cards.
  • For any games not assigned through the ArbiterSports system, officials must work out payment procedures with the home team prior to the start of the contest.
  • The home team must provide adequate security for officials. Find out who the site coordinator is before the game begins. Do not allow fans to congregate behind the team bench areas.
  • Get in, do the job, then leave. Do not loiter on the field or in the parking lot following a game!
  • Crew chiefs should file game reports on ArbiterSports within 24 hours following the game’s conclusion.  Important:  Any player/coach misconduct must be included in the game report, for our own tracking purposes and at the request of the leagues.  In addition, please notify the Liaison Committee or the game assignor directly of misconduct issues.
  • If a player or coach is ejected from a game, the crew chief must follow the protocol outlined on the Game Ejection Report and contact the Liaison Committee immediately following the game.  We strongly recommend you keep a copy of this form in your game bag as a reminder of the information you need to gather before leaving the game site.  If you have your phone with you, taking pictures of the scorebook can be helpful.
  • Have fun, be safe, and think!
  • Some teams have a large bench and players that don’t get much time on the field.  Therefore we are occasionally asked to work a “5th Quarter” to give those kids a chance to play.
  • ILOA has formalized this process in the following manner:
    • 5th Quarters must be arranged prior to game day.   This rule allows the officials to plan ahead, eliminates pressure to decide on the spot, and avoids confusion regarding payment.
    • On full-field games, 5th Quarters must be worked by a minimum 2-man crew.  Officials are not to work alone unless the game is being played on a shortened field.
    • Scheduling 5th Quarters:
      • The home team may add it to their schedule on Arbiter.  Our assigners will then offer the extension to the assigned crew.
      • The team coaches/admins may ask the assigned crew directly.  Crew chiefs are required to contact teams 72 hours before a contest.  The coaches may take this opportunity to inquire about a 5th Quarter.  Please note that acceptance of the additional time is at the officials’ discretion, and that 2 officials must accept for the 5th Quarter to take place on a full-field contest.
    •   Payment for 5th Quarters is a pro rata amount, or 25% of the standard game fee.  The relevant fee on Varsity contests depends on whether there are 2 or 3 officials working the 5th Quarter.  A separate table has been added to our Fee Schedule for the convenience of team adminstrators.
  • Advance Notice of Cancellation.
    • If inclement weather threatens the future playing of a game, the following procedure must be followed by officials and schools.
    • School Responsibilities
      • Cut off time for notifying officials of a cancellation is three hours prior to the scheduled start time for the game.
      • If the game is cancelled, the schools are obligated to contact the officials by phone to let them know of the cancellation.
      • Failure of the schools to contact the officials obligates the school for payment of the fees.
    • Referee’s Responsibilities:
      • Contact the school if there is a concern regarding whether the game will be played.
      • Notify the umpire and field judge.
  • 30 Minute Rule
    • When thunder is heard, or lightning is seen, the thunderstorm is close enough to strike your location with lightning.  Suspend play and take shelter immediately.
    • Note on the back of your scorecard:  Time on the game clock, who had possession and where, any penalties still being served, game score, etc.
    • Once play has been suspended, wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder is heard or flash of lightning is witnessed prior to resuming play.
    • Any subsequent thunder or lightning after the beginning of the 30-minute count, reset the clock and begin another 30-minute count.
    • Hold periodic reviews for appropriate personnel.
  • No Shows
    • If a visiting team, without notifying the host opponent, does not arrive at the game site within 30 minutes after the scheduled start time, they shall forfeit the game.
  • Beginning in 2024, in order to be eligible to work HS playoff games, an official must have attended an in-person ILOA training session and completed their annual USA Lacrosse re-certification by the established deadline.
  • Final Four selection process:
    • The ILOA Membership Committee will produce a roster of eligible and available officials for Final Four consideration.
    • From that roster, the ILOA and IHSLA will each make a list ranking their choices.
    •  On each list, those respective choices are then assigned weights/points based on rank.
    • The officials receiving the most points from both lists will be assigned to the final 3 tournament games.
    • ILOA Selections:
      • The ILOA selection committee is composed of 3 individuals:  1 person from each of the Assigning, Observation, and Liaison Committees.  These individuals are selected on a rotating basis annually.
      • The committee considers ability, experience, and certification level in determining their rankings.
      • ILOA Eligibility Limits:
        • Officials may only work the Final Four for two (2) consecutive years.  After a year off, they once again become eligible.
        • In addition, no official may work a championship game more frequently than every third year.
    • IHSLA Selections:
      • The IHSLA controls their own method, but in the past has polled their playoff coaches using the list ILOA provides.
      •  Note:  Some coaches know officials’ faces, but not their names.  ILOA will try to help make the selection process easier by including Arbiter profile photos with the eligible officials list, so each official should be sure to upload a photo of himself/herself.  Instructions are available on our Reference and Training Materials page.

Payments & Collections

  • Teams make payments in a variety of ways:
    • Cash – Only a few youth programs do this.
    • Check – The majority of teams. Depending on how it is processed, a check can be delivered at game time or mailed from a payables department.
    • ArbiterPay – When funds are transferred it takes a day or two before they are available on the ArbiterPay platform. Officials must initiate balance transfer to their own checking accounts. See our ArbiterSports onboarding video for more details.
    • Eventlink – Another e-payment platform that transfers automatically to officials’ checking accounts.
    • Venmo, Zelle – Yes, it happens occasionally.
  • ILOA asks that all teams have game fees ready for officials before the game starts.
  • ILOA understands that some teams need to go through athletic, intramural, or other departments for funds and that the process can be slow.  ILOA asks that if a team knows they will be in such a situation that they notify ILOA along with an estimate as to how long officials should expect to wait for payment, so that we may then advise our officials.
  • If an official has not received payment after two weeks, (s)he should notify the game’s crew chief, who in turn shall contact the Head Coach and/or Team Rep(s).
  • If an official has not received payment after four weeks, the crew shall again respectfully contact the Head Coach and/or Team Rep(s), and copy the Liaison Committee on that and any subsequent communications.
  • If, having completed the previous two steps, no payment is received after six weeks, the official shall refer the matter to the Liaison Committee, who will notify the Head Coach and/or Team Rep(s) that all game fees MUST be paid before the game from that point forward or officials will be instructed to leave the facility.  As with all foreseeable cancellations, these officials will be due 1/2 game fee as well.
  • If an official has not been paid eight weeks after a game, ILOA will suspend assigning officials to the team’s home games until ALL debts are settled.
  • The Liaison Committee may use discretion in applying these time limits if, in their judgement, there are/were intangible factors that contributed to the delay.

Postponements, Reschedules & Cancellations

  • If a game cannot be started due to uncontrollable circumstances (primarily weather):
    • Assigned official(s) on site at the appropriate time before the game are due ½ game fee.  Any applicable mileage fees are also due.
  • If a game must be postponed after it has begun:
    • Officials are due ½ a game fee for any game postponed during the first half.
    • It is up to the league to determine whether the game will be restarted or resume from the time of postponement. In either case, the officials assigned to the resumed game are due a full game fee.
    • Officials are due a full game fee for any game postponed after the conclusion of the 2nd quarter.
  • For games cancelled/rescheduled due to UNCONTROLLABLE circumstances:
    • We strongly recommend a minimum of two weeks’ notice. If that is not practical, please notify your regional assigner.
    • Rescheduled games are still subject to priority day guidelines.
  • For games cancelled/rescheduled due to CONTROLLABLE circumstances:
    • If cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled date, assigned officials are due 1/2 game fee.
    • If the game(s) is rescheduled, the appropriate assigning priority will apply.  This also applies to the second game of a double assignment (e.g. JV/Varsity or double-header), EXCEPT
    • If the game(s) is rescheduled on a day less than two weeks away it will be given low priority, regardless of league priority for that day.
    • Teams are encouraged to identify dates for Proms, SATs, and other advance-scheduled events to avoid conflicts and accompanying fees.

  • Please note that this policy is in place for multiple reasons:
    • We have a serious shortage of officials, which is why we have priority days.
    • We assign officials to games weeks in advance.
    • Game cancellations with little advance notice erase opportunities for the assigned officials to work elsewhere.
    • Last minute “shoehorning” a game into the schedule often requires rearranging other assignments, which is unfair to officials, who have to alter their commitments; to teams, who may see a smaller officiating crew; to administrators, who must interrupt or repeat their payment procedure; and lastly to assigners, who are forced to do the same work multiple times.