About the COA
Collegiate Officiating Association for Women's Lacrosse Mission:
The Collegiate Women’s Lacrosse Officiating Association (COA) in collaboration with the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches’ Association (IWLCA), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) institutions and conferences, and US Lacrosse (USL), provides leadership dedicated to ensuring the highest standards in collegiate officiating through education, oversight and resources.
The COA is a professional organization representing all women’s collegiate lacrosse officials. The overarching goal of the COA is to improve the quantity and quality of women’s lacrosse officials specifically at the college level. This organization will be responsible for all aspects of officiating at the college level and will be dedicated to promoting the interests of women’s lacrosse officials. Over the next few years, the USL will transition the responsibility of officials to the COA.
Levels of Collegiate Officiating
- Transitional Official (USL Local officials who is currently officiating collegiate games) is capable of officiating college club, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). In areas of the country where there are not enough certified COA officials, Transitional Officials may be used for non-competitive NCAA Division II and III level NCAA contests.
- Collegiate Official officiates at the college club, NAIA, NJCAA and non-competitive NCAA Division II and III levels.
SKILL SET DOCUMENT FOR COLLEGIATE OFFICIAL
RATING FORM COLLEGIATE OFFICIAL
- Collegiate Select Official officiates at all of the levels above and competitive NCAA Division II, III and non-competitive Division I levels.
SKILL SET DOCUMENT FOR COLLEGIATE SELECT OFFICIAL
RATING FORM COLLEGIATE SELECT OFFICIAL
- National Elite Official officiates at all levels of college lacrosse including competitive Division I level.
SKILL SET DOCUMENT FOR NATIONAL ELITE OFFICIAL
*Rating form for Nation Elite will be posted in 2017
Officials must demonstrate the competencies listed on the On-Field Rating Form for the level they are attempting to achieve. Each level of official has a specific skill set that must be met to achieve the rating they are attempting.
The competencies are categorized into 5 Core Areas:
1. Professionalism
2. Knowledge & Judgment
3. Positioning & Fitness
4. Mechanics, Penalty Administration, Game Management
5. Comportment, Communication, Teamwork
Officials are responsible for maintaining or advancing their on-field rating according to all requirements as described in the COA Policies and Procedures Manual which will be posted on the COA website by July 1.