Become a Flag Football Referee

No prior officiating experience is required! We provide comprehensive training for all new referees. A basic understanding of football rules is helpful, but we'll teach you everything you need to know about flag football officiating.

The time commitment is flexible and based on your availability. Most games are scheduled in the evenings and weekends. You can work as few or as many games as your schedule allows, typically ranging from 2-10 games per week during the season.

Referees are paid per game with rates varying by level. Youth league games typically pay $25-40 per game, while high school varsity games pay $66 per game and JV $57.75 per game. Payment is processed through ArbiterSports within 72 hours of game completion for WOA games and monthly for youth games.

Basic equipment includes a referee shirt (black and white striped), black pants with a white stripe, black shoes, whistle, penalty flags, and a bean bag. While a basic starter kit for new referees can be purchased from numerous vendors, our shirts have limited suppliers.  We also run the WOA Uniform Store where you can purchase many of the items you will need including shirts.  Shirts can also be purchased from Honigs online store.

Initial training consists of a classroom session (2 hours) covering rules, mechanics, and game management. This is followed by on-field training with experienced mentors. Most new referees are ready to officiate flag football games within a week of starting training and will grow their skills over time working with other officials.

Yes! Game assignments are managed through ArbiterSports, where you can set your availability and receive specific game assignments. You have full control over your schedule and can block out dates and times when you are unavailable.  Once assigned you are expected to work the game so make sure to block your unavailable dates and time accordingly.