Christian Recording for ALRA 3

This video is a presentation for officials in the Calgary District Lacrosse Association (CDLA). It covers important information about communication, key contacts, the assigning process, availability preferences, and tournament procedures. Officials are expected to communicate professionally and use Arbiter for availability. There is a fine structure for accepting or declining assignments. Availability for tournaments is submitted separately. Having more availability and fewer declines increases the chances of getting more games. Officials should check emails, texts, and phones regularly for game assignments and updates. Welcome, everyone, to the Calgary District Lacrosse Association Assigning Presentation. I want to thank you all for being a part of the officiating staff in the CDLA. This video will go over some of the intricacies of assigning in the CDLA and cover material important for all CDLA officials, both experienced and new. Here, you can see what's covered in the presentation. First off, a welcome and a big thank you to everyone in the room, whatever room you may be in, for being a part of the officiating staff in the CDLA. Next, we're going to go through an important note on communication. That's why it's in the beginning, before you all fall asleep. Then, some key contacts for you to remember. After that, we're going to be discussing the assigning process for the CDLA, ALRA minor lacrosse fine structure, availability preferences, and both the region-specific assigning schedule and tournament assigning procedures. First, an important note about communication between you and the assigners, official in charge, and executive. We recognize that this might be the first job many of you have had. We expect a level of commitment and professional communication from everyone. We believe that the job on the floor, as an official, is extended off the floor, including communication with the OIC, assigner, and executive. We are here to support you with your success in officiating. Here are some of said important contacts that all of you should write down or have in your phones. Shelby Dice is the official in charge. She's responsible for overseeing the officials in the Calgary District Lacrosse Association and any game conduct issues that may occur. Logan Parsons is the CDLA assigner, responsible for assigning officials to all minor lacrosse games and tournament games within the CDLA. Again, please make sure you take the time to record these contacts and make sure they are easily accessible. For the CDLA assigning process, the goal is for you to have your schedule as soon as possible. All officials need to keep their availability up to date at all times. Please respond to your game assignments as quickly as possible, and no later than 48 hours after the assignments are released. Otherwise, game assignments are automatically turned back. Video tutorials on how to navigate Arbiter are available to you on the ALRA YouTube page. In 2023, we introduced a fine structure to minor lacrosse. The fine structure is similar to the structure that was already previously implemented in major lacrosse. Officials will have 48 hours to accept assignments. For games that start in less than 48 hours, the assigner will communicate directly to officials and fines will not be occurred if an official is unable to accept within this shortened notice. Each game declined within 48 hours of assignment will carry a fine of $2. Each game not accepted or declined within 48 hours of assignment, an automatic turn back, will carry a fine of $5. Each game turned back after acceptance will carry a fine of $5. If an official does not show up to their scheduled assignment, they will be responsible for the game fee of one official and may face disciplinary action. Also, in 2023, we made changes to the way availability works in Arbiter. All officials are defaulted to being unavailable in Arbiter. So, if you want to work on a particular day, you will need to remove your blocks to be assigned. Officials are also able to set travel limits, indicating how far you can travel on a particular day of the week. On Mondays, Tuesdays, other days, you can set a travel limit. For example, if on all Mondays, you may only be able to travel 20 kilometers one way from your house, you can indicate this in Arbiter. This will restrict the locations you show up available for, and as such, limit the number of games you are available to work. As a result, you may see a limited amount of games compared to somebody traveling the entire city and outlying regions. The map on the right illustrates what the travel limit feature accomplishes. Remember, the more places you can work, the more games you have the possibility of being assigned. This season, the CDLA is working with an availability submission schedule, shown here on the right. During the season, you will be asked to submit availability for a date range prior to a deadline, as shown in the red column. The date range you should be updating your availability for is shown in the green column. What you submit for availability before the initial availability deadline is what will be used during the assigning process. Changes to your availability made after the initial dates are welcome. However, assignments may already have been released. In other words, you may now be able to work on a date after the initial availability submission dates, however, the games may have already been assigned for said date. We ask that if you are unsure of your availability prior to the availability submission dates, to please leave yourself unavailable. There will be opportunities to pick up games after assignments have been released and or on short notice, if you become available. To summarize, if you are not certain you can work an assignment on a specific date, we ask you leave yourselves unavailable. This will minimize any turnbacks slash declines. A reminder that a game turnback can carry a fine of $5 and an assignment decline can carry a $2 fine. On to tournaments. In the CDLA this season, officials will be required to submit a form indicating their interest in officiating a particular tournament. This will be done in supplement to keeping your availability up to date in Arbiter. If you have changes to your availability after you submit the form, Arbiter will be the place to indicate this. On the form, you will be able to indicate if you are playing or coaching, so we can schedule you around your playing or coaching times. It also allows us to schedule you to work out of town, even if you usually have travel restrictions for out of town events. The table on the right hand side of the slide shows the list of tournament dates and locations, as well as the date the corresponding form needs to be submitted by. The form links will be available in a package to you. Here's a quick example of filling out the availability form for a particular tournament. First, insert your email address, followed by your phone number, and then your name, first and last. Then, indicate your home region. Afterwards, indicate whether or not you can travel to the location. Hit next. Then, indicate your highest level of lacrosse officiated. Afterwards, hit next. Then, indicate if you are playing or coaching, as well as the supplementary information around this. That takes you to the final page. Indicate your availability for the tournament. You must also update Arbiter to reflect these responses. Then, hit submit. Congratulations, you did it! Please make sure to check your emails, texts, and phones both consistently and frequently. All communication regarding game assignments, game assignment changes, and officiating reminders is done via one of these outlets. Often, we will send out mass emails with a list of games that need to be covered, especially on short notice. An email may come out asking for coverage. The last slide here talks about how to get more games. It is a question we often get from officials. The number one thing is to have lots of availability. The more you're available, the more opportunities you have to get those games. Also, make sure your availability is submitted in advance of the availability submission dates. If you don't do this, you won't show up as being available when we assign games. As well, pick up games when they are sent via mass email or on short notice. Having less declines or turnbacks also works in your favor. Declining games is a direct result of you not planning your availability and keeping it up to date in Arbiter. This is something you can control. Assignments are always equalized at the beginning of the season. However, officials who have no declines or turnbacks are often prioritized for assignments later in the season. In conclusion, today we discussed communication, went over a couple key contacts, discussed the assigning process, the ALRA minor lacrosse fine structure, the availability preferences, the initial availability submission windows, tournaments, and how they differ from regular season games, and how to get more games. Thank you all for taking the time to watch this brief video on assigning in the CDLA. Please reference this video throughout the season as needed. If you have any questions on the assigning process, please ask your clinician or reach out to the contacts in this video. And finally, best of luck with the season!