Emergency Refs places certified lacrosse officials across Long Island — boys and girls, youth travel, rec leagues, adult, and tournaments in Nassau and Suffolk County. Youth lacrosse normally uses a two-official crew at $55–$85 per official, with higher-level boys field lacrosse commonly using a three-official crew. Boys and girls lacrosse run under different rule sets and require separately certified officials. Same-day coverage is available in most areas. Submit a request at EmergencyRefs.com.
Long Island lacrosse is serious business. From youth rec programs in Huntington to nationally competitive travel clubs in Garden City, the level of play — and the demand for qualified officials — is unlike almost anywhere else in the country. Emergency Refs maintains a dedicated network of certified lacrosse officials specifically for short-notice coverage across both counties.
Garden City in particular runs a heavier lacrosse request volume than most Nassau villages, on top of a strong local track & field tradition that competes for the same spring calendar — see our Garden City referee coverage guide for how that plays out and why the Village gets confused with the separately governed Garden City Park and Garden City South.
How Many Officials Do You Need for a Lacrosse Game?
Youth and most competitive lacrosse games use a two-official crew. Higher-level boys field lacrosse commonly uses a three-official crew, which matters more than it sounds: lacrosse transitions end-to-end faster than almost any field sport, and a third official is what keeps off-ball pushing and slides from going uncalled while the other two are following the ball.
The budgeting consequence is the same as basketball — lacrosse is priced per official, not per game. A two-official crew at $70 each is a $140 game. Tell us your crew size when you request, and we'll staff to what your league or tournament requires.
What Does a Lacrosse Referee Cost on Long Island?
| Game Type | Crew Size | Rate Range |
|---|---|---|
| Youth rec (boys or girls) | 2 | $55–$85 per official |
| Youth travel / club | 2 | $65–$95 per official |
| High school JV / freshman fill-in | 2–3 | $75–$110 per official |
| Adult recreational league | 2 | $60–$90 per official |
| Tournament / showcase | 2–3 per game | Event rate — see below |
Multi-field tournaments are quoted on an event-day basis for a fixed crew rather than per game — it keeps costs predictable for directors and prevents fields going uncovered between bracket games. Cross-sport detail is in our Long Island referee cost guide, and event staffing is covered in tournament referees for hire.
Why Do Boys and Girls Lacrosse Need Different Officials?
Because they are, functionally, two different sports that share a name. Boys field lacrosse runs under NFHS rules at the high school level and permits body checking within defined limits — the official is managing legal versus illegal contact, crosse checks, and slashing on nearly every possession. Girls lacrosse restricts stick and body contact substantially and is governed by its own rule set, including shooting space and the critical-scoring-area rules that have no boys equivalent.
An official fluent in one is not automatically competent in the other, and assigning them interchangeably is how games get miscalled and players get hurt. We assign officials certified for the specific discipline — always.
US Lacrosse Certified Officials
Every lacrosse official in our network holds active US Lacrosse certification. We can provide officials for:
- Boys youth lacrosse — U9 through U15 recreational and travel
- Girls youth lacrosse — all levels, IWLCA and club rules
- High school JV and freshman games needing fill-in coverage
- Adult recreational leagues — men's and co-ed
- Box lacrosse (indoor) officials
- Tournament officiating crews — single day and multi-day events
🥍 Why Long Island lacrosse is different
LI clubs compete at the highest youth levels nationally. Our officials understand the pace and expectations of competitive Long Island lacrosse — not just the rulebook. We don't send officials who aren't experienced with the local game.
Leagues & Organizations We Cover
- Long Island Lacrosse (LIL) affiliated programs
- Nassau and Suffolk youth lacrosse associations
- National Lacrosse Federation (NLF) and US Lacrosse travel events
- Parks & Recreation lacrosse programs across both counties
- Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) lacrosse leagues
- Private tournament organizers and showcase events
- Indoor lacrosse and box lacrosse facilities
Coverage Across Nassau and Suffolk
We have lacrosse officials distributed across the island for fast response times. Key areas we serve include:
- Nassau: Garden City, Manhasset, Syosset, Plainview, Massapequa, Great Neck, Oceanside
- Suffolk: Huntington, Smithtown, Northport, Commack, Port Jefferson, East Northport, Hauppauge
- East End: Riverhead, Southampton, East Hampton tournament venues
Lost an Official for a Game This Week?
Send us the field, game time, and crew size. We'll confirm certified officials — same-day requests welcome.
Request a Lacrosse Referee →When to Call for an Emergency Lacrosse Referee
- Your assigned official called out sick the morning of a game
- A referee no-showed for a travel tournament bracket game
- Your league expanded mid-season and needs additional officials
- A makeup game was added to the schedule on short notice
- You need a qualified fill-in for a competitive showcase game
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a lacrosse referee cost on Long Island?
Lacrosse officials on Long Island typically cost $55–$85 per official for youth games, with competitive travel and high school level games running higher. Because youth lacrosse is normally worked by a two-official crew rather than a single referee, budget per official — a two-official crew at $70 each is a $140 game.
How many officials do you need for a lacrosse game?
Youth and most competitive lacrosse games use a two-official crew. Higher-level boys field lacrosse commonly uses a three-official crew, which improves coverage on transition and off-ball play. We staff to whichever crew size your league or tournament requires.
Do you provide officials for both boys and girls lacrosse?
Yes — we have officials certified for both boys field lacrosse and girls lacrosse. The two are effectively different sports with different rule sets: boys runs under NFHS rules at the high school level and allows body checking within defined limits, while girls restricts stick and body contact and uses its own foul and shooting-space rules. We assign officials certified for the specific discipline, not interchangeably.
Can you cover a full tournament with multiple fields running at once?
Yes. For multi-field tournaments, contact us directly with your full schedule and field count — we'll coordinate a full officiating crew.
How much notice do you need?
We target 12 hours but take same-day requests based on availability. Don't wait — reach out the moment you know you need coverage.
Are your lacrosse officials background-checked?
Yes. All officials in our network are vetted and background-checked, consistent with US Lacrosse requirements for youth officiating.
Need a Lacrosse Ref on Long Island?
Submit a request — we'll confirm a certified official for your game immediately.
Request a Lacrosse Referee →