A&H

Do we all pass ??

Z

Zimmyman

Well-Known Member
Ok I’m a worry guts ! Just my nature not even done my course yet but it’s soon !!!! The five games are no problem to me !! It’s do we all pass out as refs or have you got to be really
Dumb?? What is the talk about to the group on your five games ? And are we told on the night if we are qualified ?? Or is it more waiting around
Cheers sorry to
Be a depressive lol
 
The Referee Store
When I passed about 2 years ago and did the LOTG test we did it as a group and they were so desperate for us to pass, they wouldn’t move on until everyone understood the question. They spent 15 minutes explaining to someone why you can’t be offside from a penalty.

We didn’t get told on the night either, but it was pretty obvious we had due to the above. Had no assessment for the 5 games either, just had to email in the fixtures to the RDO and they verified it with the leagues
 
one said:
Well as a referee one way to pass out is not to hydrate well. Which i'd say is pretty dumb.
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Regarding the 5 games, these merely need to be completed. No other criteria to consider. The nuances of the exam may differ slightly between Counties, but they will endeavour to make sure you pass. Based on my experience, a minority failed and were told discreetly before they left early. The rest of us were given our badges on the night. Google will provide ample practice questions
 
Zimmyman said:
Ok I’m a worry guts ! Just my nature not even done my course yet but it’s soon !!!! The five games are no problem to me !! It’s do we all pass out as refs or have you got to be really
Dumb?? What is the talk about to the group on your five games ? And are we told on the night if we are qualified ?? Or is it more waiting around
Cheers sorry to
Be a depressive lol
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No you won't all pass. You have to pass an in-course assessment to decide if you've taken in everything on the course. Your tutors are unlikely to teach you the Laws and should be focussing on game management techniques. You have a responsibility to learn the Laws in your own time. If you don't pass the in-course assessment you won't be allowed to go out and referee your 5 games. You will have to attend the second day of your course again or at least complete the assessment a second time.

You will be expected to demonstrate the correct signals, employ some of the management techniques and to follow the procedures. After that you are sent out to get in your 5 games. Once you complete them you'll be invited back for a law exam. You can fail this exam and will probably be invited back for one re-sit.

You are not a fully qualified referee until you pass the in-course assessment, referee 5 games (minimum) and pass the exam.

Before the change to the course structure around 4 years ago, I had 4 candidates fail or be referred back for more training/an exam re-sit in 5 years. Since the re-structure, I am aware at least 1 falling short every course which equates to around 8 per year. This is because a lot of the emphasis is back on the student to manage their learning and a lot, like in other branches of what I would call non-academic learning, don't get that and expect to have the course learning spoonfed to them.

We have tried to underline the expectations of them and this is reinforced during the course. I think the problem is mainly because the delivery is not like other learning most candidates have experienced before. It's different from school but also the same (yes I know that doesn't make sense). It's not that they don't try, it's just they underestimate the work they have to put in. those that do stick at it after passing are of a high calibre though. So pass, work your socks off and succeed :)
 
Brian Hamilton said:
No you won't all pass. You have to pass an in-course assessment to decide if you've taken in everything on the course. Your tutors are unlikely to teach you the Laws and should be focussing on game management techniques. You have a responsibility to learn the Laws in your own time. If you don't pass the in-course assessment you won't be allowed to go out and referee your 5 games. You will have to attend the second day of your course again or at least complete the assessment a second time.

You will be expected to demonstrate the correct signals, employ some of the management techniques and to follow the procedures. After that you are sent out to get in your 5 games. Once you complete them you'll be invited back for a law exam. You can fail this exam and will probably be invited back for one re-sit.

You are not a fully qualified referee until you pass the in-course assessment, referee 5 games (minimum) and pass the exam.

Before the change to the course structure around 4 years ago, I had 4 candidates fail or be referred back for more training/an exam re-sit in 5 years. Since the re-structure, I am aware at least 1 falling short every course which equates to around 8 per year. This is because a lot of the emphasis is back on the student to manage their learning and a lot, like in other branches of what I would call non-academic learning, don't get that and expect to have the course learning spoonfed to them.

We have tried to underline the expectations of them and this is reinforced during the course. I think the problem is mainly because the delivery is not like other learning most candidates have experienced before. It's different from school but also the same (yes I know that doesn't make sense). It's not that they don't try, it's just they underestimate the work they have to put in. those that do stick at it after passing are of a high calibre though. So pass, work your socks off and succeed :)
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Right got it but this info seems to contradict other answers ! That way I see it is you lay out all the expenses for your course ie ref kit etc boots cores cost ! Then why would they let you walk only to not have you ref on s Sunday opposed to some parent or biased coach who
Will not know all the rules anyway !! ? It’s not beginning to make much sense unless one is really that bad that they think he is worse than a stand in parent ?
 
Zimmyman said:
Right got it but this info seems to contradict other answers ! That way I see it is you lay out all the expenses for your course ie ref kit etc boots cores cost ! Then why would they let you walk only to not have you ref on s Sunday opposed to some parent or biased coach who
Will not know all the rules anyway !! ? It’s not beginning to make much sense unless one is really that bad that they think he is worse than a stand in parent ?
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@Brian Hamilton 's response does not contradict mine. On my course, one or two of the younger kids were identified as needing additional help. Note that this is not a fail as such, it's there to protect the delegate from progressing too quickly. The kids and a minority of adults will be pushed towards some level of mentoring, whilst most adults will be assessed as competent. It's uncommon, but some younger delegates might be flagged as exceptional, which presumably flags them up as potential fast track.
We had 30ish do the exam and 3 or 4 were discretely asked to come back for a resit
Assuming you are keen and have a reasonable capacity to learn, you'll get there. Just relax on the course and don't try too hard, read the book and do some practice questions
 
Anyone willing to become a referee, can become a referee (or AR). That is how it works in organisations I am in anyway. We had a person with intellectual disability who did the course last year and 'passed' with some help. He does exclusively AR work from time to time for a specific number of senior referees who know his condition and able to work with him. This has never been an issue with the teams either.
This year we had a 45 year old with autism who aced the test. He only does low division U12 and U13 (the lowest grad games we appoint). I know this is not exactly the same as what the OP is asking but a similar concept applies. We have had candidates who don't pass in their first go but pass at a second attempt with a bit of help. Their first appointments depends on the assessment of the course instructor. Their progress depends on their dedication to refereeing AND their ability to learn once they get started.

In our system the appointments are not done by the league but by a RA appointments officer who works with the Technical committee (who run the courses) to make sure this system works. There are some who fall through the gaps from time to time (people getting games out of their depth or talents not being challenged) but the main it works well.
 
I have my course coming up soon so this topic is really relevant for me. Whilst I've been preparing for the course, learning the laws etc. I have also been doing a few questions on areferee.com. Are the questions on the test similar to the ones on the site?
 
one said:
Anyone willing to become a referee, can become a referee (or AR). That is how it works in organisations I am in anyway. We had a person with intellectual disability who did the course last year and 'passed' with some help. He does exclusively AR work from time to time for a specific number of senior referees who know his condition and able to work with him. This has never been an issue with the teams either.
This year we had a 45 year old with autism who aced the test. He only does low division U12 and U13 (the lowest grad games we appoint). I know this is not exactly the same as what the OP is asking but a similar concept applies. We have had candidates who don't pass in their first go but pass at a second attempt with a bit of help. Their first appointments depends on the assessment of the course instructor. Their progress depends on their dedication to refereeing AND their ability to learn once they get started.

In our system the appointments are not done by the league but by a RA appointments officer who works with the Technical committee (who run the courses) to make sure this system works. There are some who fall through the gaps from time to time (people getting games out of their depth or talents not being challenged) but the main it works well.
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I was left with a difficult task of finding a refsec who would appoint me the 5 games. I was left to personally arrange some of these games which i thought was a farce
The exam questions are fairly basic btw. No trick questions
 
I've done the course twice - and no, before you ask, not because I failed and had to resit!

I first did it in '99. The course then was over several evenings, an hour so a time in a classroom, sat around being lectured to. We then had to remember lots of facts (pressure of the ball, distance between goalposts etc.) before doing a test: both written and a one-one verbal test as well iirc. Having passed the test, we then got to go out and ref a game, with an observer watching. Again, the only thing I remember them commenting on was my timekeeping, and why did I add on 1minute 28 seconds. If I'm honest, the course wasn't much good, and was predicated around what could be quantifiable measured.

Life then got in the way, and after a couple of years, I stopped refing. A few (or more) years ago, found myself at a new school and offering to ref school fixtures. After a while I thought I ought to formalise this, so contacted my FA to see if I could re-register. They told me I had to re-do the course, so, reluctantly, I signed up.

The "new" course is so much better. Most of it was spent outdoors on a pitch, practically looking at, say, positioning, game management, flagging etc. There was one classroom based evening on foul recognition etc. as this can't really be done practically. The finale of the course saw us playing a game, each taking turns to ref for, say, 10 mins or so. This was the most critical bit - the course tutors used this to identify if you were competent to ref a game.

There was also a multi choice test after we had done our 5 games, but if you'd done a bit of homework, have a good knowledge of football, and reasonable common sense, this test shouldn't be too challenging.

Do the course, listen, volunteer, participate and enjoy it. Do some homework - read through the laws, have a go at a few quizzes, but if you are motivated, sensible and honest with yourself, you should pass (and then you really start learning in your first season - and it never stops!)
 
Think you need to get a certain % for the initial exam.

But in Wales both times I've taken it, it has been open book, so you can have the law book open while you do it.

The first time was classroom based, the second time I was excluded as there was a reluctance to find funding for accessibility (disability). So, I had to do it at home, unsupervised.

But, the new exam is entirely online now, though some people aren't comfortable with this as that removes a forum for trainees to discuss things.

one said:
We had a person with intellectual disability who did the course last year and 'passed' with some help. He does exclusively AR work from time to time for a specific number of senior referees who know his condition and able to work with him. This has never been an issue with the teams either.
This year we had a 45 year old with autism who aced the test.
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This is great to hear. Unfortunately, I don't find that this level of support exists in Wales. At least, everywhere I've turned to for accessibility funding, including the WFA's own charity trust, has made a decision that 'the person needing support should fund it themselves' - paraphrased, presumably the funding is ring-fenced for players rather than referees. Personally I think they're missing an exceptional PR opportunity there, among other things. :wall:
 
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RobOda said:
Think you need to get a certain % for the initial exam.

But in Wales both times I've taken it, it has been open book, so you can have the law book open while you do it.

The first time was classroom based, the second time I was excluded as there was a reluctance to find funding for accessibility (disability). So, I had to do it at home, unsupervised.

But, the new exam is entirely online now, though some people aren't comfortable with this as that removes a forum for trainees to discuss things.



This is great to hear. Unfortunately, I don't find that this level of support exists in Wales. At least, everywhere I've turned to for accessibility funding, including the WFA's own charity trust, has made a decision that 'the person needing support should fund it themselves' - paraphrased, presumably the funding is ring-fenced for players rather than referees. Personally I think they're missing an exceptional PR opportunity there, among other things. :wall:
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75% is number, but i recall only 3 options for most guesses and half of them were gimmes
 
Big Cat said:
75% is number, but i recall only 3 options for most guesses and half of them were gimmes
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Most answers started with......stop play, do something else and then restart with an indirect free kick from where the incident happened....thats from memory... Its been a while!!! :angel:
 
If you put your work in reading the laws and using areferee.com you will breeze the exam. I got 1 question wrong which surprised the ref holding the exam. 75% was the pass mark but when I took my exam they counted down to the pass mark ( 39 questions) then asked did everyone get over 20. The last few hands went up. We marked each others work as we used to in school and the young girl whose paper I was marking managed 21 right. There was a lack of knowledge, the test is quite basic, and yet there were blatantly wrong answers all the way through. I hope it was just nerves in a test situation because based on her test results it could make for a car crash game.
 
Zimmyman said:
Right got it but this info seems to contradict other answers ! That way I see it is you lay out all the expenses for your course ie ref kit etc boots cores cost ! Then why would they let you walk only to not have you ref on s Sunday opposed to some parent or biased coach who
Will not know all the rules anyway !! ? It’s not beginning to make much sense unless one is really that bad that they think he is worse than a stand in parent ?
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On my courses I tell candidates not to spend money on a fancy Nike kit but just to go out and wear some black shorts, socks and black t-shirt. As long as they have pockets for their notebook and spare whistle, that's all they need. If they decide they like it and want to continue AFTER they have refereed their 1st 5 games AND passed their exam, then that's the time to splash the cash.

Clubs can be very insular and only trust people they know. They also have reservations about pushing new referees too fast, as they often have sponsored the candidate through the course.
 
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