New Officials

If you have a minimum of one full season of high school officiating experience, documented  by a letter from your former association on their letterhead, you will be considered 'experienced' and placed accordingly, after that letter is mailed to the WCOA address below.  If you do not have this experience, you will be considered a 'trainee'. The documented experience should also be mailed to the FHSAA to allow them to grandfather your experience and allow you credit for it.

All officials need to complete one of the following form links, which will allow a board member of that sport to contact you and get on our mailing list. Our training programs for 'Trainees' will involve both classroom and field/floor training, scheduled before the season begins. Basketball training sessions last 3 weeks, with two two hour sessions per week, with a minimum of two sessions scheduled. Football training is a blend of classroom and 'hands on' learning that varies in length and is will prepare you to being officiating at the junior varsity high school or youth football.
START BASKETBALL
START FOOTBALL

Step by step process to formally becoming a member of the West Coast Officials Association

1. Download the WCOA Membership form, complete it and mail it to the WCOA at the mailing address below.  To expedite the registration process, download the Criminal Record Information form, complete it and include it with the registration form.  The link to this form can be found in paragraph 3a below.  This will begin the fingerprint process which is required for all officials in Hillsborough County as further explained in paragraph 3 below WCOA Registration Form 

(WCOA mailing address - WCOA, P. O. Box 20514, Tampa, FL 33622)

2. .  Access the FHSAA web site using the link below and register as a new official for the sport(s) desired.  Under Sports Information, please be sure that you select West Coast Officials Association as there is another WCOA.  You must also make a selection for Exam Site.  There is a link to further information under the Exam Site Box.  Online testing is preferred for the state rules examination.  If you are a new official with no experience, the online open book exam is suggested.  If you have previous experience, the online closed book exam is suggested.  You may still take a written test on a designated date, if desired, but you will be charged a testing fee.  You must designate the school where you will take the test from the list on the information link.  The code for the online closed book is 00, and the code for the online open book is 01. FHSAA Registration 

3.  All officials are required by the Jessica Lunsford Act to undergo a fingerprint check as explained via this link  Jessica Lunsford Act. You will be required to be fingerprinted at the Velasco Student Services Building as noted in the Hillsborough County policy on fingerprinting -  Fingerprint letter You will receive notification that you are cleared to be fingerprinted via email.  Please read the message carefully as it indicates all the requirements.  Follow instructions below:

   a.  Print the following form, complete it and send it to WCOA with your WCOA registration Criminal Record Check 

  b.  Print the following form, complete it and take it with you to Velasco Student Services Building. - Fingerprint verification

  c.  Print the following form, complete it and take it with you to Velasco Student Services Building. Actual Fingerprinting form

  e. Fee for the fingerprinting is $56.25 and may be paid by credit card online at FLPRINTS.com.  It may also be paid by money order.  There is a monitoring fee of $28.75 which must be paid by a separate money order made out ot School District of Hillsborough County.  The applicant must bring their original social security card with a photo ID.  Please read the authorizing email for fingerprinting hours on Tuesday and Thursday.