Kris Griffiths Jones: “Now’s the time to become a referee”

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With Football in NSW currently in lockdown mode, there’s never been a better opportunity to take part in registering your interest in becoming a referee via our special online course that is experiencing some serious candidates and hype.

Football NSW’s Referees Development and Education Manager Kris Griffiths-Jones was overwhelmed with the recent responses the Level 4 Online courses has attracted as the aim of seeing more officials across the State continues to be the departments top priority.

“The objective of the course is to expand our reach and make becoming a Referee easier.

“Previously, if a potential Referee could not make a set course date, at a set venue at a set time, then they missed out.

“By creating online courses such as these allows the flexibility needed when people can’t make face to face courses.

“By achieving this, it is our expectations that we will increase Referee numbers year on year.

“I think it’s important that people get access to the education style they prefer. Some people really enjoy the face-to-face learning and the different dynamic that brings compared to online learning, while others like the convenience of being behind a computer in the comforts of their own home.

“As a new offering, we have been blown away that over 500 people have gone through our online Referees courses this year and with further online courses to come, we are expecting to reach 750 which is an amazing result.

“The feedback we have received from the participants has been fantastic.

“I would really like to thank all the course instructors for their involvement this year and I’m confident we can further improve the process for 2021.”

Asked why people should consider becoming a referee, Griffiths-Jones, a veteran in the scene having officiated internationally as well as domestically in the A-League now running the VAR and of course the NPL stated that the role of a referee teaches people life skills.

“Typically, people become Referees for the money, to put back into the game and to keep fit.

“What people don’t realise is the life skills you develop being a Referee and how that can help you in the future.

“As a referee you encounter all types of situations that you need to deal with on the field and as a result you create a skill set to resolve them. These skills consist of empathy, people management, conflict resolution and self-discipline.

For a teenager to develop these skills at such a young age is invaluable for their future, whether its dealing with conflict in the school yard, presenting at university for an assessment or having additional experience to land your first full-time job.

“Being a referee will help in all these mentioned situations and it is for these reasons I encourage anyone to become a Referee today.

“I became a referee to keep fit for the cricket season and to put back into the game. At no point did I think I was going to be involved at an elite level for 14 years, at State level for 20 years or be in a full-time job that I absolutely love.

“When I look back to when I first started at Granville Referees, for which I’m still a proud member of, I have so many people to thank for their time, support and encouragement.

“The special part is that the support I received when I first started is replicated by all our Referee Branches within Football NSW to all our Referees.

“Football NSW has hundreds of volunteers dedicating countless hours to the development of Refereeing.

“I feel it’s really important to acknowledge the hard work they do because the reality is, Refereeing wouldn’t be where it is without them.”

With so many amazing initiatives coming out from the Football NSW Referees Department, one huge feature that will be released soon will be an exciting online referee education portal that Griffiths-Jones believes will be a “game changer”.

“We are currently working on an exciting online education portal. The purpose of the portal is to expand our reach to our members and add value on what we do and the services we provide.

“The aim is to have a one stop shop where Referees can access online videos, live education sessions, live seminars with the world’s best Referees, courses, upgrades and chat forums where Referees can talk freely about any topic they like.

“We feel the portal will be a game changer on how Referees are educated and trained within the State so watch this space.”

In the meantime don’t forget to register to the Level 4 Referee Course with two Online dates set for Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st of July by clicking here.