Our Story

SOTFOA History and Background

The Southern Ontario Touch and Flag Officials Association (SOTFOA) was officially established on January 1, 2008. The association was created to promote the growth, professionalism, and integrity of touch and flag football officiating across Southern Ontario. From the beginning, our mission has been to provide valuable, honest, and reliable service to every league and organization we support. We pursue this mission through strong recruitment, effective retention strategies, and a commitment to consistent, high‑quality officiating practices.

Our Origins

Before SOTFOA existed, the Lakeshore Football Officials Association (LFOA) supplied officials for touch and flag leagues throughout the Golden Horseshoe region. After a strategic review by the LFOA executive, and in consultation with Touch Football Ontario (TFONT), the decision was made to form a dedicated association focused solely on non‑contact football. This new organization—SOTFOA—became an active contributor to the development of the Ontario Non Contact Football Officials Association (ONCFOA).

Our Growth and Service Area

Since 2008, SOTFOA has proudly provided officials for non‑contact football leagues across Southern Ontario, covering a wide region from Niagara Falls to Oshawa. Our officials serve a diverse range of leagues and age groups, including:

  • Elementary and primary school programs

  • High school leagues

  • Youth recreational and competitive leagues

  • Adult men’s and women’s leagues

  • University leagues 

Our continued success is built on three core pillars: recruitment, retention, and respect. These values guide our approach and ensure that we consistently deliver the highest standard of officiating to our clients.

Our Leadership

SOTFOA is led by a dedicated executive team that oversees operations, development, and member support. The current executive includes:

  • President / Referee‑in‑Chief (RIC)

  • Treasurer

  • Systems Analyst (Web Developer / Administrator)

  • Assignor

  • Two Directors‑at‑Large, responsible for Recruitment and Mentorship

Together, this team works to maintain the professionalism of the association, support officials at all levels, and uphold the standards that define SOTFOA.