Referee Course Programme

Essex Referee Course Programme Unveiled for 2019/20

New Dates and Venues Added for Budding Match Officials

Do you have respect, empathy and fitness? Are you able to reliably evaluate situations, with a hunger for educating yourself and seeking excellence? If the answer is ‘yes’ to these questions, you could have what it takes to become part of the DNA of English refereeing!

Anyone aged 14 or over can become a match official and these traits are just what the Essex County FA’s Referees Department are looking for when welcoming new faces onto forthcoming courses and ‘Get Into Refereeing Information Evenings’ around the county.

There are many reasons to become a referee. It’s an alternative way to stay in the game, gaining fitness, building-up life skills, earning some extra money or to progress on the talent pathway. Referees can commit as much time as they like to covering matches, whether that’s once a month or three games in a day - it is how they want to manage their own diary.

And it’s not just the traditional 11v11 route referees can take in the modern game. The County FA deliver three courses: the FA Referee Course, the FA Futsal Referee Course and the FA Mini-Soccer Referee Course. None of these are new, however the Futsal Course has been restructured and redesigned in-line with a new development programme of Futsal refereeing.

“We’re currently in a very good place,” said Referee Development Officer, Lukas Wood, on the current scenario in local refereeing. “Many match officials are representing Essex on a national stage in the FA CORE [Centre of Refereeing Excellence] Programme and on FA Competitions like the FA Cup, FA Vase and FA Youth Cup.”

Lukas, who is joined by George Lowe in the Referee Development Team, claims referees can develop administration, confidence, teamwork, management and communication skills, adding: “Many are also looking to make it up the refereeing ladder. We’re currently hitting all of the targets set out by The FA and we’re constantly looking to go over and beyond.”

To find out more about becoming a new Essex referee, or developing your skills as an existing match official, click on 'Referees' in the menu above. Information is also shared by @EssexCountyFA and @EssexReferees on Twitter, and by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.

Referee Courses

Wickford Town FC (Wickford): Evening Session: Wednesday 23rd October, Practical Day 1: Monday 28th October, Practical Day 2: Tuesday 29th October (Book Online)

University of Essex (Colchester): Evening Session: Wednesday 6th November, Practical Day 1: Sunday 10th November, Practical Day 2: Sunday 17th November (Book Online)

Thorpe Hall School (Southend-on-Sea): Evening Session: Wednesday 6th November, Practical Day 1: Sunday 10th November, Practical Day 2: Sunday 17th November (Book Online)

Get Into Refereeing Information Evenings

We'll be holding ‘Get Into Refereeing Information Evenings’ at the County Office in Chelmsford on Wednesday 30th October (Book Online) and Thursday 7th November (Book Online), which will provide information for courses in 2020.

 
Referee Course Programme

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