SpecsSaver66
Active Member
I passed my ref's exam in the early 2000s and reffed for about 12/13 years at all Youth ages between U8 to U18s then took a few years out. I then returned about 3 seasons ago but wasn't allowed to register on the local league's official ref list so stayed as a club ref with one particular club and the club who asked me to step in as they weren't getting many refs themselves and I knew a fellow ref who was a club official and knew him from back then when I did my coaching badges and qualified as a ref originally. I then took the ref's assessment for the princely sum of £150 ( not the kind of money I am possession of usually,but I managed to find it with a little help)as I felt I wanted more games and basically do it for some pocket money. I was on the assessment last week where everybody bar me and an extremely overweight and older gentleman who looked around my age or slightly older,I am 56 now,was under 18 and one lad was actually 14. I was even a good bit older than the assessors too.Anyway,as I originally qualified as a ref through doing the exam as part of my coaching badges I thought there was another exam to sit but was surprised when I was told it was merely an assessment over about a 7 or 8 hour day. I didn't find much of it too difficult although sprinting against lads a third of your age makes you feel even older. Just to digress slightly I was a bit disappointed to find that all the candidates were male and white with almost no diversity at all. That is a bit sad for the future of refereeing overall given the pro game is full of many different nationalities and skin colours,but I digress.
Do you fellow refs feel that a few hours assessment for people who have never reffed a game and were also extremely embarrassed to speak publicly or be heard above others is anywhere near enough to ref grassroots football or do you think that this is simply a result of how football has gone at grassroots and 'anybody who volunteers will do?' How did you originally become a ref and what would you recommend or do differently again?
Looking forward to your comments and thanks.
PS. I am a Level 7 and always have been and will be as I don't have any ambition to go further and never have. I do it for the pocket money but don't think for a second that this makes me not want or try to do a good job every time I referee. Overall most people are happy to re-book me so I take this as a compliment of me doing good work.
Sorry to prattle on again.
Do you fellow refs feel that a few hours assessment for people who have never reffed a game and were also extremely embarrassed to speak publicly or be heard above others is anywhere near enough to ref grassroots football or do you think that this is simply a result of how football has gone at grassroots and 'anybody who volunteers will do?' How did you originally become a ref and what would you recommend or do differently again?
Looking forward to your comments and thanks.
PS. I am a Level 7 and always have been and will be as I don't have any ambition to go further and never have. I do it for the pocket money but don't think for a second that this makes me not want or try to do a good job every time I referee. Overall most people are happy to re-book me so I take this as a compliment of me doing good work.
Sorry to prattle on again.