Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/11/15
From US Lacrosse
The continued growth of lacrosse over the last two decades has been a tremendous highlight for the sport, but has also brought along many infrastructure challenges. One of the biggest is securing enough properly trained officials to meet the increased demand for their services.
Since its inception, US Lacrosse has been expanding resources towards helping to address this need. In 2008, the organization hired its first full-time staff member dedicated exclusively to officials education. The US Lacrosse Officials Education Program (OEP) has since grown to three full-time staff members working on behalf of the sport, and the group recently announced four specific strategic priorities that will guide its efforts over the next three years. The four strategic priorities are:
Recruit – new and younger officials
Train – all officials using standardized curriculum and established requirements
Retain – officials and officiating leadership
Lead – by strengthening national, regional and local leadership structure and support network
“We’ve really worked on taking a 360 degree view of the officiating landscape in developing this plan,” said Charlie Obermayer, senior manager of the officials education program for US Lacrosse. “All of the tactics and strategies we are focused on will help the sport in the short-term while also building a foundation to serve the sport in the long-term as well.”
Among the tactics the organization plans to deploy are an officiating exposure clinic that will introduce current players to the opportunities to officiate; evolve officials certification programs; update existing mentoring program; increase observation programs and professional development opportunities; and establish certified trainer, observer and assigner programs.