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SOCALOA as a Non-Profit

The Southern California Lacrosse Officials association is a public charity non-profit 501(C)(3) corporation based in Southern California and is committed to providing the highest rated boys’ lacrosse officials in Southern California leagues, tournaments, schools and other competitions, as well as educating the public on lacrosse rules and safety.

Providing Officiating Services to Amateur Sports

Our association currently provides officiating services to four amateur youth sports organizations: the Orange County Lacrosse Association (60 teams), the Yorba Linda Lacrosse Academy (20 teams), Victory Lacrosse Club (12 teams), and the Southern California Lacrosse Company (40 teams). The span of these groups includes Santa Barbara County, Ventura County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County and San Bernardino County. The scope of our services are immense and are mutually beneficial to the coaches, players, spectators and SOCALOA members.

Training Officials

SOCALOA provides fair, fun and safe competition through the education, evaluation, observation and training of its members. In addition, SOCALOA provides education on the rules and mechanics of lacrosse officiating as well as safety tips to those involved in the lacrosse contests before and after the games.

Training the Public

SOCALOA also hosts and conducts a rules overview and safety training session at the annual coaches meetings of these organizations and we provide annual Youth Rules Interpretation & Safety meetings for parents and anyone interested in attending. All of our rules meetings are open to the general public and advertised as such.

Informing CIF Coaches

In addition to the amateur youth sports services, SOCALOA provides referee services to the local scholastic high school sports association, the California Interscholastic Federation - Southern Section. This also includes a rules overview training session at the annual coaches pre-season and postseason meetings, where the aim is to work with the coaches to educate everyone on the rules to ensure that the lacrosse competitions are fair, fun, and safe. The coaches are encouraged to provide feedback on how SOCALOA can improve as an organization that will be applied accordingly.

Providing Free Public Education on Safety

In addition to the annual rules meeting, SOCALOA provides periodic rules updates and safety tips, including avoiding concussions and other health hazards, during the high school and youth lacrosse season on our website and through our school coaches and administrators email blasts. The general public can sign up to receive these updates through our web site. For those that want to know more, SOCALOA provides a free on-line course on our website on the topics of rules, health, welfare, and safety of players, coaches, and spectators. Those who take the free course will learn about rules in lacrosse and important safety tips. SOCALOA also continues this rules and safety campaign through information booths at lacrosse community events such as the CIF High School Championships & Play-offs, the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association Championships and Playoffs, and at the four local summer tournaments. At these events the public can receive a free shirt if they have completed one of the SOCALOA free on-line tests.

Partnering with Shootout for Soldiers

SOCALOA also donates its services annually to the Shootout for Soldiers lacrosse tournament, a charitable 24-hour lacrosse competition that raises money and awareness for wounded US Military Veterans. SOCALOA provides free assigning services and the members donate their time to help with this fundraiser.

Affiliate of US Lacrosse

SOCALOA is a lacrosse officials’ association that is a member of US Lacrosse, a national amateur youth sports organization that as the sport's national governing body, provides national leadership, structure and resources to fuel the sport's growth and enrich the experience of participants. US Lacrosse has more than than 450,000 members nationwide, 68 chapters in 45 states, more than 300 volunteers serving on national boards and committees. While primarily serving the youth level, US Lacrosse, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is committed to providing a leadership role in virtually every aspect of the game. All SOCALOA members are US Lacrosse members and are certified annually as officials through the US Lacrosse training program. SOCALOA makes sure that all of its members and those in attendance at lacrosse contests are in compliance with US Lacrosse rules and safety standards.

Monitoring Lacrosse Officials

In addition to providing training and certification, SOCALOA also monitors the performance of its members at lacrosse contests through unannounced observations by trained SOCALOA observers, and continuous feedback from coaches, administrators and spectators through our website. This insures that the games are fair, fun, and safe especially. SOCALOA takes player, coaches, and spectator safety very important and take advantage of every opportunity to make sure that those in attendance of lacrosse contests and the general public are aware of health and welfare risks and how to prevent them.

Monitoring Assigners

In addition to monitoring the performance of its members, SOCALOA also trains, monitors and evaluates the performance of the association appointed assignor(s). The assignors have an expertise and special knowledge of lacrosse officials assigning and are essential to creating the best assignments of officials at games to promote fair, fun, and safe competitions. They know the officials, the teams, coaches, and use that knowledge to make the assignments. The task of assigning must be done by a trained professional and SOCALOA provides that training as well as the monitoring and annual evaluation of the assignor(s).

Partnering with local youth leagues

Another way, SOCALOA connects to the lacrosse community is through working with the local lacrosse associations such the Orange County Lacrosse Association and the OC Chapter of US Lacrosse. SOCALOA provides volunteer liaisons to represent SOCALOA at association and chapter meetings to provide knowledge of rules and safety, and to create an open dialogue for feedback between our organizations.