Florida Lacrosse Officials Association

Announcements

Season news, clinic dates, rule updates and Board notices.

Meeting

Onboarding class and general meeting, September 15

Onboarding for every official new to FLOA runs 6 to 7 pm, followed by the general membership meeting from 7 to 8 pm.

When
Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Where
Lake Howell High School, Media Center

The Media Center is the set of doors immediately before the Administration building, which is the last building down the bus loop.

  • 6:00 to 7:00 pm, onboarding class for all prospective officials new to FLOA, regardless of officiating experience in another jurisdiction
  • 7:00 to 8:00 pm, general meeting for all FLOA members

Afterwards anyone who wants to is welcome at a local pub for an hour or so, light snacks and a few drinks. It is not an open bar and attendance is not required, but it is a good way to meet everyone or catch up with old friends.

We cover a lot of material, so bring a pad and pen. If you are attending the onboarding class, be ready to introduce yourself to the group: your name, your lacrosse experience as an official, player, coach, spectator or parent, any officiating experience in other sports, and why you want to officiate. Zero experience is a fine answer.

Please be on time. The onboarding class begins at 6:00 pm exactly. Allow for Tuesday evening rush hour on the way to Lake Howell.

Questions about the onboarding class go to Dave Sackman. Questions about the general meeting go to Joseph Heintzelman.

Officials

Onboarding is required for everyone new to FLOA

The September 15 onboarding session is required for every official new to FLOA, whatever their experience elsewhere. Email Dave to reserve a seat.

If you know anyone interested in officiating boys lacrosse this fall or in spring 2027 and they are new to FLOA, the required onboarding session runs 6:00 to 7:00 pm on September 15 at Lake Howell High School, the hour before the general meeting. Have them email Dave Sackman to reserve a seat and confirm attendance.

Onboarding is required for every official new to FLOA, no matter how much officiating experience they have somewhere else. Never officiated lacrosse before: still required. Thirty-six years officiating lacrosse, rugby and football in another state: still required.

Separately, the NFHS has published the boys lacrosse rules changes approved for the 2027 season. This is informational only for now. The official rule text and the corresponding mechanics have not been released yet, so what these changes mean on the field is not settled. Training materials will be updated and members contacted once that information is available.

NFHS boys lacrosse rules

Meeting

Save the date: general membership meeting

The FLOA general membership meeting is Tuesday, September 15 at Lake Howell High School, with an onboarding class for new members beforehand.

When
Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Where
Lake Howell High School

We hope you have had an enjoyable and relaxing summer. With the fall season just around the corner, we are preparing for the FLOA general membership meeting and wanted to send a save-the-date so you can reserve the time.

  • 6:00 to 7:00 pm, onboarding class
  • 7:00 to 8:00 pm, general membership meeting

Dave Sackman is running the onboarding class for any new members joining this season. If you are new, contact Dave so he can get a headcount.

We have several important updates to share with the association and we encourage all members to attend. Afterwards, anyone interested is invited to join us at a local spot for food, drinks and socializing.

Notice

Voluntary research survey on officiating recruitment and retention

A doctoral researcher at Northern Arizona University is surveying high school officials. Participation is voluntary, anonymous and takes 10 to 15 minutes.

FLOA received a request to share a research survey on the recruitment and retention of U.S. high school athletic officials. The researcher will share the results with the association. This is entirely voluntary and it is up to you whether you take part.

The survey is run by Kirsten Frey, a clinical psychology doctoral student at Northern Arizona University, as part of a clinical research project. Responses are confidential and anonymous, and completing the survey is how you consent to their use. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

To take part you must be at least 18 and registered as a U.S. high school official with the NFHS for the 2025-26 academic year. Questions go to the researcher at knf39@nau.edu.

Take the survey

Notice

Looking for girls lacrosse?

FLOA covers the boys game. Girls lacrosse in Central Florida is a separate association with its own rules set.

Officials for girls lacrosse in this area belong to the Central Florida Women's Lacrosse Association, which registers, trains and assigns separately from FLOA. Going there first saves you a season.

cfwloa.org

2026-27 season

Dates FLOA officials work to, taken from FHSAA's published calendars. High school lacrosse is one part of the year; summer tournaments, fall ball and winter ball run on their own schedules.

  1. Officials registration opens

    FHSAA begins accepting 2026-27 registrations through the Central Hub in Arbiter. Nothing is missed on this date, but everything downstream depends on finishing before the winter deadlines.

  2. First allowable practice

    Teams may begin practising. Officials are not needed yet, but the season is now in motion.

  3. Early registration deadline

    Register by this date to avoid the late fee. After it, FHSAA registration increases by $10.

  4. Game schedules due

    Schools submit lacrosse schedules on Home Campus, which is what makes assignment possible.

  5. Preseason classic tournaments

    Preseason play. Often a new official's first live games.

  6. Registration deadline

    The regular deadline for boys lacrosse. After this, the only route in is the three-day late window at $30 more per sport.

  7. First regular-season contest

    The season starts. Games from here need officials.

  8. Late registration window

    Three days, $30 more per sport. There is no route in after this: FHSAA policy bars registration once the exam date has passed.

  9. Rules exam closes

    Lacrosse is the exception among spring sports: one exam window, not two, and no make-up. FHSAA publishes the closing date but not the opening date, so check the Central Hub for when it opens. Below 75 percent limits you to sub-varsity; not sitting it means no varsity or sub-varsity work at all this year.

  10. Last regular-season contest

    End of the regular season.

  11. District tournaments

    District play. Assignment needs an exam score of 80 or better.

  12. Regional quarterfinal, Class 2A

    Boys regional play begins. Regional and state assignments are made by the FHSAA office rather than locally.

  13. Regional quarterfinal, Class 1A

    Boys Class 1A regional quarterfinal.

  14. Regional semifinal

    Boys regional semifinal.

  15. Regional final

    Boys regional final.

  16. State championships

    Boys and girls state championships at Paradise Coast Sports Complex, Naples. FHSAA publishes the four-day block but not which days carry semifinals or finals; that comes closer to the date.

  17. Registrations terminate

    Every FHSAA officials registration ends on this date regardless of when it started. Registering in February buys about four months before you re-register for 2027-28.

FHSAA Officials landing page and the 2026-27 sport calendars, checked 31 August 2026. FHSAA republishes these annually and dates move.

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