Safety: Referees

Referees for CYO Lacrosse matches, and for tournaments in which CYO Lacrosse teams compete, satisfy Oregon Youth Lacrosse Association (OYLA) certification requirements. The CYO Youth Lacrosse site describes in detail the requirements for the two levels of referee certification.

Whether our team is playing another CYO team, or another regional lacrosse team, it is vital to remember that referees are youth players who are learning to officiate games, just as our children are learning to play the sport of lacrosse. It’s a tough job to monitor a fast-moving sport and catch every infraction, and to keep the game play fair and impartial for both teams.

It is never acceptable for a player, parent or coach to abuse a referee before, during or after a match. It is the head coach’s responsibility to work with the referees in the context of the match.  If you have a concern about what is occurring during the match, or after the match, please approach one of your coaches to discuss the issue in greater detail.