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Frequently Ask Questions
Q: How can I become an official with Pierce County Officials Association (PCOA)?
A: E-mail or call one of the PCOA contacts on the contacts page.

Q:  What sports does PCOA officiate?
A:  PCOA officiates baseball, basketball, football, softball, soccer and volleyball

Q:  I am already a trained in more than one sport can I officiate more than one sport with PCOA?
A:  Yes.    

Q:  I would like to also officiate middle, junior high and high school basketball can I do that with PCOA?
A:  No. There are other sports officiating groups in the local area that service schools sports. Currently PCOA does not referee schools sports but things could change in the future.

Q:  I am a woman and would like to officiate is there a place for me?
A:  Absolutely! We highly encourage women to get involved with trade because it is a rewarding and exciting experience.

Q:  How long does training take?
A:  Initial training involves 5-6 classroom sections along with 3-4 floor/field trials depending on the sport and how fast the person progresses.

Q:  Is there any cost associated with training?
A:  All material and training is provided at no cost.

Q:  Where can I get uniforms and how much do they cost?
A:  There are several places where uniforms can be purchased the start up cost for uniforms can be between $80-100.

Q:  I am already officiating with another association can I still join PCOA?
A:  Yes, As long as you manage your availability calendar PCOA does not care what other officiating groups you are associated with.

Q:  How do I receive my game assignments after I am trained?
A:   You will receive an e-mail notifying you that you need to check assignbyweb. Assignbyweb is a web base program where you will receive your assignments. You will  a have an availability calendar which you will manage and indicate days you are available and not available.

Q:  Once I receive game assignments can I decline the games assigned to me because I have a prior commitment?
A:  You can decline games, however if you properly manage your availability calendar you should not receive games when you are not available. If you accepted assignments you cannot turn games back without the approval of the assigner.

Q:  How much do I receive from officiating games?
A:  For youth sports games fees are between $16-25 for a game and adult sports between $25-28.

Q:  How long do games last?
A:  Games last between 45-60 minutes.

Q:  Do I receive travel pay?
A:  Games at Tacoma Metro Parks, Peninsula Athletic Association, Puyallup Rec and White River Community Activities facilities qualify for travel pay of $12 to $18. There isn’t travel pay for games located at Fort Lewis and McChord military bases.

Q: How can I track my games and travel pay?
A: Assignby web tracks all of your pay.

Q:  How often am I paid?
A:  You can be paid as often as once-a-month or every other month depending on the league.

Q: Who pays me the Recreation Leagues or PCOA?
A:  Recreation Leagues pay PCOA and then PCOA with cut a check and pay you. Once we receive payment we will pay you as soon as possible.

Q:  Is there a limit on the amount of games I can officiate?
A:  No limit, however management assigns games based on both the needs of the officials, PCOA and the recreation leagues. It isn’t a good idea to assign officials to the same location and teams numerous times in a season.

Q: I would like to move up and officiate at the higher levels like high school and college is there a way to do that?
A: There is a career ladder to move up through the ranks please check out the link and you can find out great information about reaching your goals.