The Ref Stop

Referee Course Advice

Olivia P

Olivia P

New Member
Hi,
Next week I'm about to start the refereeing course, but I want to know if there's any advice/tips I should know before I start? Whether it's about the course or refereeing itself? Just want to go into it with as much knowledge as possible from more experienced members. Thanks
 
The Ref Stop
read the laws of the game. a copy will be in the resources section of this website
 
Hi Olivia
Just finished tutoring a course a little over 2 hours ago. Some tips...
  • Wear clothes appropriate to the weather. So if it's cold, wear lots of layers as it's easer to take a coat off when warm than shiver if you haven't brought one. You might even want to take a change of clothes if it is expected to be raining heavily
  • Make sure you know what surface the course is on. You don't want to be wearing trainers or shoes if it is outside on grass, although trainers should be ok if it's on 3G
  • You should be given your notebook, cards and whistle
  • If you get some pre-course work to do, make sure you complete it
  • If you get homework, make sure you do it
  • Your course will probably run over two evenings and two full days. The full days will probably be two consecutive Sundays
  • On your course you will be given practical tips on refereeing. You will not be taught the Laws of Football. You have to learn them on your own through pre-course study
  • You may be the only female on the course unless it is an all female course
  • You will have as much fun as you want to have
Hope it goes well. Let us know how you get on
 
Brian Hamilton said:
Hi Olivia
Just finished tutoring a course a little over 2 hours ago. Some tips...
  • Wear clothes appropriate to the weather. So if it's cold, wear lots of layers as it's easer to take a coat off when warm than shiver if you haven't brought one. You might even want to take a change of clothes if it is expected to be raining heavily
  • Make sure you know what surface the course is on. You don't want to be wearing trainers or shoes if it is outside on grass, although trainers should be ok if it's on 3G
  • You should be given your notebook, cards and whistle
  • If you get some pre-course work to do, make sure you complete it
  • If you get homework, make sure you do it
  • Your course will probably run over two evenings and two full days. The full days will probably be two consecutive Sundays
  • On your course you will be given practical tips on refereeing. You will not be taught the Laws of Football. You have to learn them on your own through pre-course study
  • You may be the only female on the course unless it is an all female course
  • You will have as much fun as you want to have
Hope it goes well. Let us know how you get on
Click to expand...
This was incredibly helpful, so thanks! I'm feeling a bit apprehensive, can I ask, what does the compulsory taster session consist of? Sounds pretty lengthy for 3 hours!
 
Ah yes, the compulsory taster session. Ten quid to tell you about the actual course.

I did my course last summer and it was great - very much as Brian says (much better than the course I did back in the 90s when we never got out of a chair.)

But the taster session was a bit superfluous. We arrived, did some ice breaker games for about 20 mins so we could get to know each other, then, in groups, discussed what we thought the challenges of being a referee might be etc. The course was talked about, what levels & leagues you can ref at etc. Maybe an hour's worth of content crammed into three.

Tolerate the taster, enjoy the "real" course - top tip: the last hour or so of the final day you play football whilst taking it in turns to be the ref. Volunteer to ref first - at the start everyone behaves themselves, but once they've been the ref some candidates start pratting around, making the ref's (that could be you) job much harder.

Then try and get your first games in the middle as soon as the course has finished, whilst it's all still fresh in your mind.

I love it, so glad I did the course and have been an active ref since.
 
RefJef said:
Ah yes, the compulsory taster session. Ten quid to tell you about the actual course.

I did my course last summer and it was great - very much as Brian says (much better than the course I did back in the 90s when we never got out of a chair.)

But the taster session was a bit superfluous. We arrived, did some ice breaker games for about 20 mins so we could get to know each other, then, in groups, discussed what we thought the challenges of being a referee might be etc. The course was talked about, what levels & leagues you can ref at etc. Maybe an hour's worth of content crammed into three.

Tolerate the taster, enjoy the "real" course - top tip: the last hour or so of the final day you play football whilst taking it in turns to be the ref. Volunteer to ref first - at the start everyone behaves themselves, but once they've been the ref some candidates start pratting around, making the ref's (that could be you) job much harder.

Then try and get your first games in the middle as soon as the course has finished, whilst it's all still fresh in your mind.

I love it, so glad I did the course and have been an active ref since.
Click to expand...
I can't wait to become qualified, it's just the awkwardness of the course, especially since its likely I would be the only female (hopefully not) there. Thanks for the tips- can't to get started. I know it'll probably get explained during the course, but how do the five games you have to ref get organised? Do you get appointed them by a chosen league, since you are technically not fully qualified yet?
 
@Olivia P , you will have an FA appointed officer who is in charge of your appointments. That will all be discussed at your course, along with any other questions that you may have.

It's great to see more females getting into refereeing. We don't have any down here in Cornwall (that I'm aware of anyway) :(
 
@DB I thought so, it was just curiousity to how the whole thing worked. There's no many female referees...anywhere. Which worries me a bit, suggests it's not very appealing
 
Olivia P said:
@DB I thought so, it was just curiousity to how the whole thing worked. There's no many female referees...anywhere. Which worries me a bit, suggests it's not very appealing
Click to expand...
I've known a few but life just kinda got in the way of things for them. With the women's game becoming popular, I think that in a few years time, we will see more ladies take to refereeing. Unfortunately many are put off at the thought of dealing with twenty two rowdy blokes on a Saturday afternoon. In my experience as a player where we had three females (only three seasons ago), they were often treated better than their male counterparts.
 
Olivia P said:
@DB I thought so, it was just curiousity to how the whole thing worked. There's no many female referees...anywhere. Which worries me a bit, suggests it's not very appealing
Click to expand...
Female referees get a lot of support and of the few I know (probably about half a dozen) half of them are working in semi-pro football, so they have worked hard to progress..

As for how you get your games, it depends on the local set up. Course I did today, the League has paid for the course and will be arranging the 5 games for the referees. Some courses we give the referees details of the local leagues and suggest which ones might suit them so they get in touch with the leagues directly.
 
Olivia P said:
@DB I thought so, it was just curiousity to how the whole thing worked. There's no many female referees...anywhere. Which worries me a bit, suggests it's not very appealing
Click to expand...
Out of interest what made you want to become a referee? Good luck with your course.
 
Good luck with your course. Use this website for your exam. I got it from this forum and only got one question wrong. Do not get disheartened that you are getting lots of questions wrong it covers the most bizare and unlikely scenarios but will make the exam seem easy. On my course there were 2 female refs and seemed to be more capable than the lads of the same age. The taster session was free in Suffolk and in Cambridgeshire as well. The course I did was very good, and the tutor was very hot on game management as well as the rules.
 
@WAFCryan2014 I wanted to become a ref as I used to play, but stopped for a few years and wanted to get back into touch with grassroots football. It's always been something that's interested me, and not that it would be solely for the money, but the extra cash is a nice incentive.
 
Brian Hamilton said:
Female referees get a lot of support and of the few I know (probably about half a dozen) half of them are working in semi-pro football, so they have worked hard to progress..

As for how you get your games, it depends on the local set up. Course I did today, the League has paid for the course and will be arranging the 5 games for the referees. Some courses we give the referees details of the local leagues and suggest which ones might suit them so they get in touch with the leagues directly.
Click to expand...
I'm Glad, not that there's any massive initiative and or demand for female refs but if the supports good then I'm sure the course and refereeing will be relatively straight forward.
 
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@Olivia P there is a massive demand for female refs in the country - good luck with your course, just relax and enjoy it - absorb as much information as you can and use everything and everyone as your own ammo - including this place.

being a female referee at the moment gives you such a big springboard into the more professional football - good luck!
 
Olivia P said:
I'm Glad, not that there's any massive initiative and or demand for female refs but if the supports good then I'm sure the course and refereeing will be relatively straight forward.
Click to expand...
Where are you based? members of this forum may be able to give you the contact details for another female referee, who you could contact if you want support.
 
My county is North Riding. Hopefully along the way I get to find out more about the experiences from female referees. All come with my own experience I guess
lincs22 said:
Where are you based? members of this forum may be able to give you the contact details for another female referee, who you could contact if you want support.
Click to expand...
 
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