USA Luge uses certified race officials to officiate national and international races that are held on the tracks in Lake Placid, NY, Park City, UT, Negaunee, MI, and Muskegon, MI.

Race officials are required to know the rules of the sport and make sure they are followed so that the competition is fair to all competitors. Officials work the starts, finish, control areas, and timing. Officials are also needed to do the administrative paperwork, be jury members, technical delegates, course inspectors, escorts, marshals and even track workers. A race official must be willing to work outside in all types of weather for long periods of time. A race day is typically 6 to 8 hours for a national race and longer for an international event. But the feeling of helping athletes, young and old, reach their dreams and goals makes the time fly by.

Certification Courses
USA Luge offers courses to certify race officials. These courses are held over two days, generally over a weekend, and are scheduled every year at the above track locations. Courses are $25 and Rulebooks are provided. You must also be a member of the U.S. Luge Association.

National Level Certification
The first level of instruction is for the National Official’s Course which is comprised of rules for both artificial track and natural track luge. You don’t need any previous experience with luge.

International Level of Certification
The second level of instruction is for the International Judges license. You must hold the National Officials Certification as well as meet other specific requirements which encompass working various officiating positions during races. The course is given over a three day period at the end of which you are evaluated with a written and oral exam. For the FIL judges license, the certification has been separated for artificial and natural track.

FIL Judge Levels:

 USA Luge has also established criteria to obtain levels of recognition once you are an FIL judge.

• FIL 1. Twenty hours of volunteer time and race experience with positions at Start, Finish, Control, Weigh in, Timing and Race Administration (race office).
• FIL 2. Attainment of FIL 1, plus twenty hours of volunteer time and race experience in positions of Start Leader, Finish Leader, Chief of Control, Head Timer, Track Inspector, Assistant TD, Jury Member and Assistant Race Director.
• FIL 3. Attainment of FIL 2, plus twenty hours of volunteer time and race experience in positions of leadership for Race Director, Administrative Race Secretary, Technical Delegate and Jury Chair.  Also, must attend an international team captain's meeting, i.e, World Cup, World Championship.

Refresher Course
USA Luge offers several one day rules refresher courses every year at all the track locations. These courses are required for officials who are already National or FIL certified. There is no fee to take a refresher course. This course covers any new rule changes, examples of situations that might arise with discussion on how they can be handled, and an opportunity to address any concerns or problems experienced during the season.

Once you are certified as an official, you maintain active status by working a minimum of one race a season and attending a Refresher Course at a minimum of every two years.

Volunteers are always welcome. It’s a good way to get experience and see if it’s something you really want to do before taking the National Course.

Race Committee
This Committee creates policies and/or consistent procedures for race administration at the tracks. It oversees officials’ education and recognition, and is also empowered to create national race rules that deviate from the FIL’s IRO when required.

The race committee is comprised of a chairperson, one individual per track site (currently Lake Placid, Park City, and Negaunee) who primarily officiates at each of the locations sanctioned to host a national level (senior or junior) seeding race, up to two additional At-Large members, and two additional members who qualify as Athlete Representatives. All non-athlete members of this committee must be active FIL officials.

Officials' Courses
RULES REFRESHER: Saturday, September 13, 2008 (note: new date) - Lake Placid, NY

NATIONAL OFFICIALS COURSE:  October 10-12, 2008 - Park City, UT

RULES REFRESHER: Saturday, November 1, 2008 - Park City, UT

To Register for any of these courses, contact Beverly (518-523-2071 ext. 107) or Beverly@usaluge.org. You can also download, print out, and mail the Course Registration Form.