Volunteer Spotlight: Chris Young
Throughout National Volunteer Week, Football NSW is highlighting the contributions of various members of grassroots football that have been nominated by their local community.
Chris joined the Sutherland Shire Football Referees branch in 1997 and from an early age showed incredible promise as a highly talented referee that would one day be going places. His refereeing journey saw him progress through the ranks of NSW State League and was a regular appointment on the NPL1 panel of referees. At the peak of his refereeing, Chris was appointed to a number of A-League matches as a Fourth Official.
After 27 years of refereeing, Chris continues to be an incredible ambassador for the Sutherland Shire Football Referees Association. As an Officer Bearer, he has served our Branch for 14 consecutive years, sharing his passion for football, and inspiring the next generation of referees.
Chris’ resume at Sutherland is nothing short of impressive, having joined the Committee of Management in 2010 as Cadet Officer (a role now known as Development Officer). After a successful inaugural season, he transitioned to the role of Branch Coach and for 6 years played an important role in developing and coaching referees in the Sutherland Shire. In 2017, Chris became President and has served our branch in this capacity since. In 2022 Chris was made a life member of the Sutherland Shire Football Referees Association and is one of only 48 people to ever achieve this level of recognition.
Chris’s volunteering to the football refereeing community extends outside of the Sutherland Shire and into the former NSW State League Referees Association, where he held numerous positions over the last decade. He regularly runs introductory referees’ course right through to elite level courses. Chris is one of the most prominent refereeing figures within NSW having directly impacted grassroots football all the way to A-Leagues.
Chis is a silent achiever and the whole of football is truly in debt to his dedication and commitment.
