Players become qualified referees

As a community club, we aim to develop our players in a fun and supportive environment. But it is not only players that we are supporting to develop their skills and qualifications.

Over the last year eight of our youth players have completed the FA’s Referee Course, and qualified as accredited FA referees.

The qualification covers all the core FA laws of the game, as well as refereeing at least five competitive matches, and finishes with a County FA assessment of their match officiation.

With around 10,000 grassroots referees leaving the game since 2017 - through a combination of Covid-19, age and negative experiences received by referees - it is critical that the game continues to develop up and coming referees. 

Canterbury Eagles co-chairman, Dan Porter, explained: “All grassroots clubs are finding it increasingly difficult to find referees every weekend. With so many of our youth players wanting to widen their skills within football we decided to support those willing to learn and become referees across the leagues.”

“To provide players a fun and supportive match environment can only happen with qualified referees - without them our players cannot fully experience competitive football.”

Two newly qualified referees are Skye Cage and James McCarthy-Bates.

James said: “I play for Canterbury Eagles U15s and really wanted to develop a deeper understanding of the game and see matches from a different point of view. For me, it's great exercise and a way to earn money doing something that I enjoy.”

“Many of my matches have been refereeing our junior teams and it's really nice, as a referee, helping them to learn the game, especially with things like throw-ins and corners.”

Skye qualifies as a ref!

James keeping up with play

For Skye, becoming a referee was a way for her to encourage and support other girls to play competitive football. She explained: “I really wanted younger girls to have the opportunity to play football. When I was younger I didn’t have much opportunity to play in girls’ teams and I want all girls to have the opportunity I didn't have and I felt that being a referee would help them do this.”

The course is a combination of online and in-person learning with referees required to attend 11 hours of face-to-face training as well as officiating a number of competitive matches.

James explained “We had some online modules but we met one evening to cover the theory of refereeing and then spent a full day with the FA coaches covering how to handle game situations and decisions. It was quite intense.”

On hand to assess, for the County FA is Canterbury Eagles’ Tony Newington, who mentored James through his qualification.

Tony said “My role as Referee mentor is to support new referees once they are ready to start officiating. It’s a big step from taking the course, learning the Laws of Association Football and actually implementing them during a game and having a mentor at the game gives a new referee a safe and friendly environment to develop their skills.” 

Although referees, at all levels of the game, have been subjected to unfair and unwarranted abuse both James and Skye feel that coaches, parents and parents have been positive in matches they have officiated. 

Skye said “I was really nervous, in my first game, about making mistakes, but the coaches were really nice and supported my decisions throughout the game. And most of the parents have been very supportive towards me - even if decisions didn’t go their way.”

The mentor system aims to help referees become accustomed to this focus. Tony explained “I qualified in 1974 and I made mistakes and wrong decisions in my first game and there was no one to support me. With the current system, new referees are mentored before the game and after to ask questions and to share any pitfalls that have happened to me. One thing I always say is never using a pen; if it rains the ink runs and you cannot read your notes!”

Being a qualified referee has also helped James and Skye with their own game. 

James explained “Because I understand the game from their point of view I find I don't have to question why it's a foul, as I know, and I can explain better to my teammates why certain decisions are made. It has really helped me to give away fewer fouls while playing but still win the ball - I do feel it has made me a better player.”

Skye said “It’s given me more confidence on the pitch and knowledge of the game itself from more different perspectives.”

But it is not only their game that can develop. Tony explained: “Refereeing also helps develop the ability to make decisions away from the game. It can be an enjoyable way for young people to discover how to set goals, respect one another and work together as a team, showing why these things really matter in everyday life.”

“For some it will give them inspiration to go on and gain promotion through the referee's development system, with some players, I have mentored, progressing to officiate in the football league.”

So congratulations to Skye, James, Sam, William, Owen, Lucas, Bradley and Joe who have all worked so hard to become qualified referees and support the game they love by becoming qualified referees.