A&H

Going up the ranks

Reuben Watt

New Member
Hey guys,
I have been a referee for over a year now (since I was 15, now 16) and have been refereeing teams under the age of 12. I have been starting to get more and more confident. This Saturday I am assistant referee in the combines counties division one. I really want to start to get up the rankings. Any tips on what my next stage should be?
Reuben
 
The Referee Store
Hi Reuben!

My suggestion would be to gradually start working your way up the age groups. When the time comes to move from L7 to L6, you will eventually need to be doing mostly open age football, and it's well worth planning your progression so that you don't suddenly decide you want to get promoted and jump from kids to adults football with no "learning process" in between. When you decide that you do want to go for promotion, experience at multiple ages will really help - but if you're ambitious enough to come on a forum asking for help, I suspect you'll be looking to get promoted quickly? If that's the case, you'll need to build up experience refereeing players at, around and eventually over your age, which can be daunting.

You say you've worked mostly up to U12 so far? If you truly feel you're comfortable at that level, then the obvious next step is to request matches at U13 and U14 ages. Pitches will be bigger, halves will be longer and the players you're in charge of will be fitter, faster and more aggressive. Get fully comfortable at that level for a bit, then move up again. Keep in touch with your RDO the whole time and I'm sure he'll guide you more specifically.
 
hi Reuben

I shall pretty much echo what @GraemeS has said - being now 16 that means you can officiate on OA football, correct? but up until now you have only covered up to U12's? so why not speak to your ref sec and get an U16's game? the players are still all younger than you, but by only a year (you may look similar in age, but gives you that psychological thinking) see how you deal with that - if all goes well and you feel confident then do a few more games at that level ...id say do maybe 5-10 games at that level, after that look to sign up to an OA league. do your 20 games on the OA league then you can apply for promotion ...

hope that's helped and good luck
 
Hey guys,
I have been a referee for over a year now (since I was 15, now 16) and have been refereeing teams under the age of 12. I have been starting to get more and more confident. This Saturday I am assistant referee in the combines counties division one. I really want to start to get up the rankings. Any tips on what my next stage should be?
Reuben

Reuben what is your Combined Counties assistant referee number?
 
I'm in the same boat as you Reuben! I feel I'm at the stage where I'm confident with youth football and im ready for the step up into OA. I'm currently in the process of signing up to my local OA league so I can start off on the line and then next season I can hopefully progress into doing midles and go for my L6. I've been thinking of joining an U18 league as well as the players aren't kids but not quite adults. I feel these games could ready me for OA games along with OA lines.

If you're only used to doing U12 and below then as the others said, definitely ask your ref sec to maybe give you some U15/16 games so you can get used to the 11v11 pitches and longer timings etc.

Hope this helps, good luck!
 
It's 325.... are you on same game?

I'm not I'm afraid, the referee you're out with is a good referee, I've been out with him before, just make sure tell him its your first game so you get a good pre match instruction, not clear if this is your first time as AR or not, if so, we all start at the bottom so learn lots and enjoy it. Remember to wear a shirt and tie!
 
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