Football NSW Referee Academy for 2023 Announced
Football NSW has announced the nine new up and coming faces that will feature in the 2023 Referees Academy following an extensive trial process that saw referees from across the state vie for a coveted spot.
The Football NSW Referee Academy trains and prepares selected referees for success at state and national levels and to be potentially identified by Football Australia as future A-Leagues Women, Men and Youth referees and assistant referees.
Trials such as the Laws of The Game quizzes, fitness testing, speed and agility testing as well as being viewed as referees and assistants in live match sequences were part of the selection process as officials represented their local referee branches with the hope of earning a spot in next year’s academy.
Referees selected to join the Academy will be provided with speed and agility training, physical training programs, opportunities to attend tournaments, match day coaching and access to national and international referee coaches as well as A-Leagues referee mentors.
Several Academy alumni have gone on to perform on the national stage including Hassan Jomaa, Hugh Fenton-White, Sam Kelly and Bradley Wright who are now panellists on the A-League Mens competition and Isabella Mossin, Isabella Libri, Maddy Allum, Emma Kocbek, Anastasia Filacouridis, Maggie Price and Mikayla Ryan who are all now panellists on the A-League Women’s competition.
Congratulations to the following referees selected:
- Luke Chapman – St George Football Referees Association Inc (SGFRA)
- Daniel Cornofsky – Ku-ring-Gai & District Football Referees Association (KDFRA)
- Mayson Griffith – Shoalhaven District Football Referees Association (SDFRA)
- James Makris – Granville District Football Referees Association
- Rory McFarlane – Ku-ring-Gai & District Football Referees Association (KDFRA)
- Ella McGarity – Nepean Referees Group (NRG)
- Hannah Sheridan – Manly Warringah Football Referees Association (MWFRA)
- Isabella Vrtkovski – Granville District Football Referees Association
- Jasper White – Central Coast Football Referees (CCF)
The above referees will join the existing Academy members listed below:
- Alyssa Schwereb – Sutherland Shire Football Referees Association
- Alana Zic – Hills Football Referees
- Charlotte Flynn – Football South Coast Referees
- Connor Mead – Sutherland Shire Football Referees Association
- Hayden Kaye – Macarthur District Football Referees Association
- Hayden Michlmayr – Football South Coast Referees
- Joshua Kermond – Bankstown Football Referees
- Lara Hogan – Hills Football Referees
- Liam Smith – Bathurst Football Referees Association
- Molly Godsell – Nepean Referees Group
- Selina Harden – Shoalhaven District Football Referees Association
- Tom Dale – Manly Warringah Football Referees Association
- Mia Velarde – Manly Warringah Football Referees Association (MWFRA)
For referees who are interested in continuing to progress their refereeing career, additional opportunities are available via the following links – Referee Development Panel (RDP) and NSW State League Football Referees.