If you would like to officiate for the New Lenox Soccer Association (NLSA) recreational program, please send Rich Hagen an email at hrhagen@comcast.net before becoming certified to make sure we have a need for more officials.  Upon hearing from you via email, assuming we have a need for more referees, Rich Hagen will arrange to have you added as a new official with Aribitersports.com (our third party vendor that provides our referee assigning website).  If you are not certified (if we have a need for more officials), you will need to become a certified referee by completing a certification course.  Prior to the spring season, NLSA will arrange for a certification course to be facilitated by the Illinois State Referee Committee and the Illinois Youth Soccer Association.  If you are unable to attend this course, please visit www.ilsoccerrefs.org for more information about courses being offered in Illinois.

Great to have you back for another season!  Please add or update your referee information by going to www.arbitersports.com.  Prior to the spring season, NLSA will arrange for a re-certification course to be facilitated by the Illinois State Referee Committee and the Illinois Youth Soccer Association.  If you are unable to attend this course, please visit www.ilsoccerrefs.org for more information about re-certification courses being offered in Illinois.

Most of our communication with the referees is done via email, and the ArbiterSports.com vendor requires that each referee has his or her own email address (for younger referees, this address can be your parents' email address).  

If you need more information about becoming a referee for NLSA, you can call Rich Hagen at 815-272-1111 or email Rich at hrhagen@comcast.net.

All referees will be required to wear the proper uniform which includes a referee shirt, black shorts and socks.  These items can be purchased at most local sports stores in the area or online at websites selling gear for referees.  Referees should also have a backup shirt in case you blend with another team's colors.  For equipment, referees should have two whistles, red and yellow cards and a time keeping device, preferably one that counts down.

After you have been notified by the referee assignor that you have been chosen to be a referee for the NLSA recreational program, you will receive a welcome email asking you to go to www.arbitersports.com and sign in to establish your account.  Upon signing in for the first time, you will be asked to change your password.  Once you are in to the site, we recommend that you view the "How-To Instructional Videos" under the Support section of the start page to learn how to block out the dates and times you are unable to officiate games.  After your blocking is complete and you have entered in your profile information, i.e., phone, address, etc., you need to check the "Ready" box.  That will alert the referee assignor that you are ready to have games assigned to you.  Please provide as many phone numbers as possible.  If there is a game that becomes available at the last minute, the referee assignor will use these phone numbers to contact you to determine if you can take it.  If you can not be reached because you only provide one phone number, you may lose opportunities to officiate.