The CLOA is an association of lacrosse officials that officiates boys lacrosse games for U14 and U12 youth, Connecticut Interscholastic Association Conference (“CIAC”) sanction high schools, and independent and college preparatory high schools programs. The Club wishes to have trained officials officiate its contests. The Parties agree to associate with one another for this purpose. The Parties agree that both had a hand in the authoring of this Agreement and that this Agreement is the only agreement between the parties and replaces any other agreement that may be in existence. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Connecticut.
CLOA Obligations:
Connecticut Lacrosse Officials Association will assign CLOA officials for boys games, who are trained by US Lacrosse, youth rules tested, high school certified, and insured for those youth lacrosse programs located in Clubs which request this service.
The CLOA agrees to insure its own officials, or cause officials to have insurance, in order that they can be scheduled to officiate any Club contest. The CLOA and its officials shall not be required to provide proof of such insurance to any Club as the CLOA warrants its officials will be insured through the CIAC and supplemented by US Lacrosse.
The CLOA and its officials will use all efforts to officiate all contests objectively and will use US Lacrosse age appropriate rules or as otherwise modified by specific League rules. The Club agrees that player safety is of the utmost concern and all officials will officiate each contest with player safety the chief concern.
The CLOA agrees that it has had an adequate time to review this Agreement and that it is doing so for its own particular reasons and free of any duress. The CLOA agrees that it had an opportunity to have this Agreement reviewed by counsel of its choosing and at its own cost and that it is relying on only that advice.
Club Obligations:
The Club agrees to provide its schedule for the program(s) specified below to the CLOA Secretary or his designee as soon as it is complete. Such scheduled shall be in a form specified by the CLOA be it electronic or on paper. Club agrees to notify the Youth Assignor or the officials of any changes or cancellations as soon as such changes or cancellations are made.
Clubs must name their own Club Coordinator and Club President, Club Treasurer and Club Scheduler, if different from the Club coordinator, who will be responsible for submitting the schedule to CLOA and for managing the schedule throughout the season. The Club Coordinator and Club Scheduler may communicate directly with the CLOA Youth Assignor, with its CLOA Regional Coordinator, or the CLOA Secretary.
The Club agrees that it has had an adequate time to review this Agreement and that it is doing so for its own particular reasons and free of any duress. The Club agrees that it had an opportunity to have this Agreement reviewed by counsel of its choosing and at its own cost and that it is relying on only that advice.
Structure:
The CLOA Executive Board has appointed a Youth Assignor (John Hackett) to assign youth games in conjunction with the CLOA High School Assignor (Dave Leete). The Youth Assignor will assign CLOA adult certified officials for 14U and 12U games as required by their regions.
CLOA has identified several CLOA Youth Regional Coordinators (Michael Infantino, Fred Capozziello, Michael Giannelli, and Steve Nunn) who will be responsible for managing and coordinating the youth assigning process in their local regions.
The CLOA Secretary (Andrew Speyer) serves as the administrator of the Youth Program, preparing applications, collecting fees, and manages the Arbiter schedule and officials assignment software.
The CLOA Youth Rules Interpreter and Lead Clinician (Sheldon Crosby) is a certified US Lacrosse trainer and serves as the organization’s representative in all matters related to youth rules and procedures as they relate to US Lacrosse, arbitrates all decisions regarding rules and procedures for youth games, coordinates professional development for all officials at regular meetings, and oversees the training and certification of new officials.
Fees:
See Schedule A.
When a program contracts with CLOA for the 2021 season, it agrees CLOA will be the sole assignor of adult officials for all U14 and U12 games. All U14 games will have two CLOA officials assigned. For U12 games, Clubs may either request two CLOA officials or one CLOA official, in which case the Club may assign a certified youth official. Club agrees that any jamboree hosted by the program may use CLOA for officials; however, CLOA does not guarantee they can provide enough officials to cover an event. In a jamboree, a program may supplement with additional US Lacrosse certified officials. (While CLOA can not assign U10 and U8 games during the season, an exception is made for jamborees.)
Mechanics:
CLOA will assign officials for full field, 10 on 10 games. Regionally assigned youth games will be scheduled to coordinate with local high school games. The Club/Regional Coordinators will consult with Clubs/leagues to ensure that youth games do not conflict with high school games and will do their best to avoid scheduling games on Monday evenings in the months of April and May and not schedule simultaneous 14U or 12U games on Saturdays throughout the season. Whenever possible, back to back games are encouraged. The Club/Regional Coordinators will work with the CLOA Youth Assignor and Secretary to schedule games through a regional Arbiter account.
The CLOA Youth Assignor will have access to Arbiter to determine what CLOA certified officials are in a region on any given youth game day and will be able to assign those officials through Arbiter to officiate a regional youth game. The Secretary must have the youth schedules no later than March 15, 2021. This will allow CLOA sufficient time to schedule officials.
Changes to an official’s schedule are inevitable, particularly at the youth level. Club/Regional Coordinators and the Youth Assignor must inform each team/ league of a cutoff date for game changes (except for weather related changes). Once the Youth Assignor is notified, appropriate changes will be made through Arbiter. It is important that each Club Coordinator review its schedule on Arbiter on a daily basis and immediately inform the CLOA Regional Coordinator or Youth Assignor of any changes.
It is quite possible that a schedule change at either the high school level or the youth level may leave only one official at the game. Weather related changes are also inevitable. Such instances are two examples of unforeseeable events that are beyond the control of the CLOA. Should officials arrive at a field to find the game either delayed or canceled, they will not receive a game fee presuming the Club contacted any of the above-referenced CLOA representatives at least two (2) hours prior to the start of any particular game. If the Club does not meet the previous obligation, the Club will be responsible to pay the full game fee. The officials are local to the game.
Miscellaneous:
This Agreement cannot be modified once it has been executed by the Parties unless the Parties agree, in writing, to such modifications. Without regard to the official ending of a lacrosse season, neither party shall be bound by this Agreement after December 31, 2021. The CLOA shall not be bound by the Agreement unless and until the Club makes the appropriate application payment. The CLOA reserves the right to rescind its obligations under this Agreement in the event that the Club does not pay officials within thirty (30) days. This is an agreement for personal services and no official shall be regarded as an employee of the Club or the CLOA. The Club agrees to make no disclosure concerning payments to any third-party unless otherwise required by law.
Schedule A Fees
Game fees for 2021 season:
2 officials: $70 per official
1 official (works game alone without a junior official): $105
Jamborees:
$50 per hour per official
CLOA application fees (required with this application):
$70 for each Club
$70 for each 14U program
$70 for each 12U program
CLOA certified officials will be paid $70.00 per game assuming two (2) officials per game. The fee for a single official, with no youth official assisting, shall be $105.00. Officials shall be paid at the time of the game, if practicable, otherwise by direct deposit, ArbiterPay (RefPay), check or any other arrangement to which the Club and CLOA agree. Officials will be paid within 30 days of the game. The method of payment will be established prior to the beginning of the season.