Interested in officiating high school tackle and/or flag football in Orange County?
You’ve come to the right place
Whether you are curious and want more answers or are ready to start your officiating journey – Orange County Football Officials Association gives you the training and the tools to officiate all levels of high school football including boys tackle and girls flag football.
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How to become an OCFOA Official
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange County, Calif. produces some of the top level talented football players in the nation and OCFOA has to maintain that same level of excellence when it comes to training and producing high quality officials.
A number of OCFOA alumni have gone on to officiate Division 1 college football conference championships and bowl games while other OCFOA alumni have officiated in the NFL including in the Super Bowl.
If you’re curious about officiating high school football and would like to learn more, read below the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding officiating CIF tackle or flag football.
What type of training will I receive?
OCFOA is a unit member of the California Football Officials Association and provides a training program for new and returning members.
Training classes specifically tailored for first-year officials typically start in the Spring and continue through the season. Training includes classroom as well as on-field instruction and clinics. Both classroom and on-field training are taught by veteran officials.
leading up to and during the season, the association also meets in person and via online video meetings These meetings are a combination of association business and instruction.
Our initial focus for first-year officials is on rules and officiating mechanics. upon completion of your training and passing exams, you will be ready to start officiating lower level games like Freshman and Junior Varsity games your first week.
Where and when will I officiate?
OCFOA football officials work both public and private high school games throughout Orange County, Calif.
CIF tackle football games typically play on Thursday and Friday afternoons and evenings and possibly Saturday mornings, afternoons and evenings.
CIF flag football games typically take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the regular season. Flag Football games are scheduled mid-week because schools generally reserve Fridays for traditional tackle football games.
Who can officiate high school tackle or flag football?
Pretty much anyone can officiate high school football.
You need to be age 18 and out of high school. You do not have to be a resident within Orange County but need to have a willingness to drive to and officiate games within Orange County.
Because Orange County football is regarded as some of the highest level and highest quality football in the country, many OCFOA officials that live in surrounding counties choose to join OCFOA for the training and the high level of competition coming out of Orange County.
How much does it cost to become a high school football official?
First year officials receive a deep discount compared to veteran officials regarding association dues.
First-year tackle only officials can expect to pay $105 ($70 discount) which includes instruction materials, clinics, and membership dues.
Flag Only first-year officials can expect to pay $165 which encompasses $105 dues plus an assignor deposit.
If you choose to officiate both tackle and flag football, you can expect to pay $170 which includes a first year officials discount plus a tackle/flag bundle discount.
All officials, no mater if a returning official or first-year, must pay a $30 CIF registration fee. This fee covers the costs of enrollment, statewide testing and a background check.
Uniform costs can vary depending on purchase locations but at minimum you will need a shirt, pants/shorts, whistle, bean bags, flags, hat, etc. that can run $100 – $150 depending on brand preference. Bl;ack athletic shoes are part of the uniform so please factor that in as well.
What is my time commitment as a first year official?
As a first-year official, you’ll be expected to accrue at least 18 hours of instruction and training. You will also need to pass a 100 question rules and mechanics exam specifically geared towards first-year officials.
Freshman and JV tackle football games begin around 3:00 pm and each game last roughly 90 minutes to two hours. Flag football games typically start at 3:00 pm as well and are typically scheduled back-to-back with the JV and varsity games lasting roughly an hour each.
As a first-year official, you have the opportunity to work games, and you’ll decide how much you want to work depending on your desire and availability and the number of game assignments that are available.
During the season, you will be asked to work games in a variety of stadiums and schools throughout Orange County. This distribution of games will help you become familiar with and receive training from many of our veteran officials.
Can I officiate just CIF tackle football or just CIF flag football? Can I officiate both?
The simple answer is yes. You can officiate just tackle football, just flag football or you can do both.
If you are only interested in tackle or flag football, you can officiate just that sport. If your schedule permits, OCFOA highly encourages you to officiate both as this gives you the best opportunity to learn and grow as an official. Getting more snaps, whether it be tackle of flag football, help you develop as an official.
Officiating more games also can be quite lucrative which leads to our next ferequentkly asked question…
Do OCFOA officials get paid to officiate high school football games?
Simply stated, YES!
Although many officials claim they love officiating so much they would do it for free, OCFOA officials do get paid. Pay rates vary depending on the type of football you are officiating and how long the games typically last.
Varsity tackle football officials get paid roughly $150 per game while Frosh / JV tackle football pays around $100.
Flag football games typically pay around $45 – $65 per game depending on the level.
Of course, the more flexible your schedule and your travel limitations will determine how much you can earn.
In addition to officiating high school games, the training you receive from OCFOA puts you in an excellent position to officiate youth flag and tackle football games. Many OCFOA officials will officiate Pop Warner and Junior All-American games on Saturdays. Many Orange County middle schools also offer flag football during the week and OCFOA officials can earn additional income that way.
OCFOA encourages all officials to officiate youth tackle and flag football games to help sharpen their officiating skills while earning additional income.
Are my dues and uniforms tax deductable?
we do not claim to provide elgal or tax advice but generally things like dues, incurance and uniforms are tax deductible.
Please check with a tax advisor for clarity and certainity.