“Advancement Rules” – Now Available on the Amazon Kindle Store!

Posted on May 16, 2013 by | Leave a comment

I am beyond excited to announce that my first book, “Advancement Rules: Improving Your Lacrosse Officiating” is now available for purchase on the Amazon Kindle Store! After a year of writing and a few months of editing and cover design I have a finished product that I am incredibly proud of. I could not have gotten to this point without the help of some fantastic people in my life: Continue reading →

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Posted in General, Improvement, Media

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Summer Training Classes TBD

Posted on March 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment

We have completed all training classes this season.  Please check back in May for summer dates and locations.

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Posted in Classes, General, New Officials, Testing, Training, Uncategorized, US Lacrosse

Dead Ball Officiating: “When the ball is dead, be alive!”

Posted on May 8, 2013 by | Leave a comment

TOOne of the biggest mistakes newer official make is to assume that once the play is over,their job is done. Almost all of our training is geared towards identifying fouls and positioning on the field during play.  However, what truly separates the  rookies from the veterans is the attention and focus during a dead ball.  Here are some tips for making yourself a better dead ball official: be aware where you are in the game, keep the game moving, anticipate what needs to be done and stay focused! Continue reading →

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Posted in Improvement, Mechanics, NFHS Rules, Training, US Lacrosse

Three Man Mechanics: A Primer

Posted on May 1, 2013 by | Leave a comment

2012-20-GHSA-Lacrosse-state-wh_250wAs the high school regular season comes to an end and the playoffs begin, many of you will need to brush up on your three-man mechanics.  The shift can be challenging, even for experienced  officials who do not work three-man games regularly.

Here are a few resources to help you master the mechanics.  Remember, a three-man game  is really a two-man game with help. Continue reading →

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Posted in GHSA, Mechanics, Training, US Lacrosse

Why Did I Do That?

Posted on April 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Officiating is not immune to the human condition. Even though everyone associated with the game expects the crew to be perfect it is never going to happen. To be fair, no player or coach has ever played or coached perfectly, but no one cares about those mistakes. Our mistakes get talked about at the office water cooler and lampooned by commentators if you are officiating in front of a national audience. We cannot eliminate all mistakes, but we can cut down on their frequency if we are honest with ourselves and each other about the on-field mistakes that we make. I cannot speak for other officials, but I can talk about the different mistakes I’ve made over my career. Hopefully, putting my mistakes out in the open will help other officials when they hit the field.

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Posted in Improvement

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Effectivey Using A Scorecard

Posted on April 2, 2013 by | Leave a comment

scorefrontThe score card is a key piece of equipment which enables an official to record a number of key facts: team captains, the in-home for each team, keep track of alternate possession, the number of stick checks, time outs each team has used, and of course, the score. There are a number of other bits of information that can and should also be recorded: your partner’s name, the goal that each team is defending in the 1rst and 3rd quarters.   Writing on your scorecard may seem like a simple task that is not worthy of a post, but it is a skill that officials often struggle to master. Continue reading →

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Posted in Equipment Review, Mechanics, NFHS Rules, Training, US Lacrosse

Who’s Got the Count. Gotta Have that Count (owww)

Posted on March 28, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Counts DiagramSome of the most difficult NFHS rules and mechanics for newer officials to master are the three counts involved in advancing the ball:  the four second goalie count (Rule 4-19 and 20 Art. 5, the 20-second clearing count  (Rules 4-14)  and the 10 second count (Rule 4-15).  While the basic requirements and mechanics for each are fairly straightforward, the challenge emerges when an official is tasked in game situations with BOTH recognizing  and communicating when each count begins and ends. You gotta have the count!

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Posted in Mechanics, New Officials, NFHS Rules, Rules Interpretation, Training, US Lacrosse, Youth Rules

Practice the Full Sequence: End Line and Sideline Out of Bounds

Posted on March 25, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Being an effective communicator is one ingredient that all good officials possess.  Your ability to manage a game is directly related to your ability to make sure all parties know where they are supposed to be and what they are supposed to do. There are a number of mechanics sequences that routinely occur in a game.  By mechanics sequences I mean a series of signals that an official must give to let his partner, the players and coaches know what has occurred.   The two most common are the Sideline and the End Line Out of Bounds sequences.  By practicing these sequences you will communicate more effectively and be able to better manage your game. Continue reading →

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Posted in Mechanics, NFHS Rules, Training, US Lacrosse

Final Steps to US Lacrosse Certification

Posted on March 15, 2013 by | Leave a comment

USLAXPATCHFor those who have taken a US Lacrosse clinic with Atlanta Lacrosse Official this year there is still some confusion as to what is required before you can officiate games. Please read the following post for clarification. Continue reading →

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Posted in Classes, General, Training, US Lacrosse

Unecessary Roughness: Hits that make you go “ooooohhhh!”

Posted on February 28, 2013 by | Leave a comment

UR As Gordon Corsetti likes to say, the Unnecessary Roughness penalty is for the hit that makes the crowd go “ooooooooohhhhh.”   It is imperative that these hits be penalized, particularly at the Youth Level.  A body check that has met ALL of the requirements of a legal check (two hands on the crosse, above the waist, below the neck, from the front to side and with the body not the crosse between the hands) may still be ruled illegal if the official deems that it was unnecessary .   Continue reading →

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Posted in General, New Officials, US Lacrosse, Youth Rules