This page contains frequently asked questions, or FAQs, concerning SPLOA and lacrosse in Southern Pennsylvania.

The South Penn Lacrosse Officials Association (SPLOA) was created by a number of lacrosse enthusiasts in York County, Pennsylvania in an effort to ensure PIAA lacrosse would be sanctioned by the York-Adams (YAIAA) league beginning in 2009. SPLOA's members banded together and worked with the PIAA and YAIAA to obtain certification and chapter status with the PIAA. On 07/01/2008, the PIAA granted the members of SPLOA the 'South Penn Chapter of PIAA Boys Lacrosse Officials' and assigned the chapter the York-Adams, Lancaster-Lebanon and Berks County leagues in PIAA District III. SPLOA members officiate both PIAA and youth games in the region.

No, SPLOA is an independent association of lacrosse officials. The YAIAA, LLL and BCIAA leagues assign officals for all PIAA games SPLOA is responsible for, however that is the extent of SPLOA's relationship with the leagues. SPLOA was created as a grassroots effort by lacrosse enthusiasts in York County to ensure PIAA play beginning in 2009 - not an entity created by the PIAA, YAIAA or YCLA. Members of this association and of the South Penn Chapter of PIAA Boys Lacrosse Officials are independent contractors.

Lacrosse is played as a spring sport in the PIAA. The PIAA game schedule is set by the YAIAA, LLL and BCIAA leagues. The York-Adams (YAIAA) league plays on Mondays and Wednesdays and the Lancaster-Lebanon (LLL) and Berks County (BCIAA) leagues play on Mondays through Saturdays. Each league schedules games as Varsity/JV double headers. SPLOA officials could be assigned up to six PIAA games a week depending on availability.

The SPLOA area of coverage for PIAA lacrosse games is York, Adams, Lancaster, Lebanon and Berks counties in Pennsylvania. Officials who are certified to officiate PIAA games through SPLOA have the option during registration to select the PIAA District III leagues for which they would like to receive assignments. This allows our membership to officiate games in the league(s) they wish, and provides league assignors with a pool of local officials with which to operate.

Lacrosse is played as a spring sport in the area. In York and Adams counties, the youth schedule is created by lacrosse clubs belonging to the York County Lacrosse Association (YCLA) in a large scheduling meeting in December. In Lancaster and Lebanon counties, the youth schedule is created on an ad-hoc basis by Lancaster-Lebanon lacrosse clubs.

SPLOA requires youth lacrosse scheduling to be limited to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. SPLOA encourages scheduling multiple youth lacrosse games on the same day, at the same location, as double, triple and quad-header tournaments to reduce costs.

The SPLOA area of coverage for youth lacrosse games is York, Adams, Lancaster and Lebanon counties in Pennsylvania. Officials who are certified to officiate youth lacrosse games through SPLOA have the option during registration to select to receive York County Lacrosse Association (YCLA) game assignments in York and Adams counties, or to receive Lancaster-Lebanon lacrosse club game assignments in Lancaster and Lebanon counties.

Yes, SPLOA has an open door policy for officials belonging to other associations. The PIAA stipulates an official can only belong to one PIAA chapter, so you have the option as a SPLOA member to (1) Join the South Penn Chapter of PIAA Boys Lacrosse Officials and receive assignments for PIAA games covered by SPLOA, or (2) Decline to join the chapter and receive assignments for youth games covered by SPLOA. Inversely, if your current association has an open door policy, you can join the South Penn Chapter of PIAA Boys Lacrosse Officials through SPLOA and do youth games covered by your current association.

The annual membership dues for SPLOA are $25.00. These dues are waived for the first year for current members of the Southern Lacrosse Officials Association (SLOA) and members of the Central Pennsylvania Lacrosse Officials Association (CPLOA). To officiate PIAA games, you must register as a lacrosse official with the PIAA at an annual cost of $30.00 payable to the PIAA. To officiate youth games only, you must register as a lacrosse official with US Lacrosse at an annual cost of $50.00 payable to US Lacrosse. Both PIAA and US Lacrosse memberships include insurance. The insurance provided with PIAA membership covers officials for both PIAA and youth lacrosse games. Additionally, the first season you should expect to pay approximately $120.00 when purchasing the required uniform from an independent vendor.

Because game fees vary by level and by the number of games played, exact hourly rates vary, however, officials generally earn in excess of $30.00 per hour while officiating games for SPLOA.

Yes, you can join SPLOA having no experience in the game of lacrosse. SPLOA has one of the best official's training programs available and offers several classes each year for the NFHS exams administered by both SPLOA and the PIAA. SPLOA runs on-field training sessions and officiates scrimmages prior to the spring lacrosse season to fully educate all members. Rookie officials are paired with seasoned veterans for PIAA games as a second or third official on the field for both PIAA and youth games.

SPLOA uses December 31 of the year preceeding the lacrosse season as the organization's age determination date. The minimum age requirement to join SPLOA is 14 as of the age determination date. Officials under 16 years of age as of the age determination date are considered junior officials. Officials who have not yet met the age requirement for PIAA (which is 18 years of age) are eligible to officiate youth lacrosse games through SPLOA.