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A N N H U G H E S       homestylsit

COULD YOU BE A REFEREE?
 

• Do you love Football?
   
• Do you want to put something back into the game?
   
• Do you want to be actively involved?
   

The Football Association of Wales has the overall responsibility for all Football throughout the Principality. This includes the recruitment and training of referees. With well over a thousand games taking place every weekend we are always short of qualified referees.
 

The FAW Referees' Committee, under the Chairmanship of Ken Hughes (Wrexham), has three major objectives:
 

• Every sanctioned game should have a qualified Referee.
   
• All our Referees, no matter what their level, should receive the best
  possible training.
   
• Referees throughout the country should, where possible, have an
  opportunity to gain promotion and move up to The Mitsubishi Welsh
  Premier and if meeting certain criteria the ultimate goal of the FIFA
  List of International Officials.
   
• Refereeing is a very worthwhile and rewarding experience, which can
  provide a life long interest, and with the initiatives we are putting
  into place for the development of referees there has never been a better
  time to take up the whistle.

Just to give an indication of the help you will receive let me list a few examples:
 

The initial training will be provided through one of the six Area Football Associations through their Referees' Officer, who in turn will ensure that each course is under the direction of a FA of Wales approved Referees' Instructor using up to date methods.
 

Once qualified there will be various training and education seminars to help you improve. Your on field performances will be monitored by former referees with considerable experience to help and advise so that future performances can be enhanced.
 

Your Area Referees' Officer will take a special interest in your progress and will always be just a telephone call away for any advice. The Referees' Association through its local branches will offer all the help and guidance needed through its "local" knowledge as well as social contact with other referees.
 

You can become a referee from the age of fourteen, where the Junior / Youth Leagues would welcome you with open arms (and let's not forget that children's football deserves to have a referee as much as their senior counterparts) Of course the younger you start the more chance you have to reach the highest level, In fact two of our current FIFA referees started when in their teens!
 

Please do not think that starting young is the only route possible. Many ex players become referees when finishing their playing careers and get a great deal of enjoyment from the change of involvement. All referees have their personal ambitions, for some it is to reach the International Panel, for others continued involvement putting something back into the game and an occasional local Cup Final are the targets.
 

Let's look at the advantages:
 

• Lots of fresh air and exercise.
   
• Continued active involvement in the game you love.
   
• Enjoyment - Yes we do have to put up with some moaning but the majority
  of people connected with the game recognise that it would be much the
  poorer without referees.
   
• Good company - In refereeing you will make friends for life.
   
• Money - Small rewards at first but as you progress the fees earned
  during a season soon mount up.
   

Rodger Gifford - National Referees' Officer


So, all you armchair referees, here's your chance to put your money where your mouth
 

Want some licks click here for English referee sites, Scottish ref links. Welsh will come