Becoming a referee?

[X123]

Hi,

New on here so welcome, and apologies if this is in the wrong place or been asked before.

I'm in my mid-twenties and have become interested in becoming a referee, having played to a decent standard when younger but injuries have now ended the playing days. I'm living in central London and interested in the best next steps to get involved in officiating.

It feels like it would be sensible to have a discussion with someone involved in organising London referees before just turning up on a course. Would most people advise this, and can anyone suggest who to get in touch with? The RFU website with contacts (http://www.englandrugby.com/Document...0_English.docx) doesn't appear to work.

I would also be interested to hear about how long it took most people to start refereeing to a reasonable standard, or any advice anyone has.

Cheers,
X123

[crossref]

Hi - X123 -- here's the website for the London Society
http://www.londonrugby.com/

and here is the 'join us' page
http://www.londonrugby.com/JoinUs.html

go down that route - all the regions have a person who looks after new members and helps them get started

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

I would also be interested to hear about how long it took most people to start refereeing to a reasonable standard, or any advice anyone has.

First of all welcome X123

I suspect you'd be interested to hear about people similar to yourself rather than middle aged has-beens plodding around at L8.

That being the case, my son who is now 23 (this week) started refereeing due to injury curtailing his playing career - much like yourself.

He started in November 2013 in the East Midlands (whilst at University) and moved (back) to Yorkshire for the 2015/16 season at Level 8. He is now at L6 and on the Yorkshire Federation Development Squad.

After being watched recently by North Group MOs he has his first L5 (National 3 North) game due imminently.

Yorkshire (especially South) have a good track record of attracting and developing young (and not so young) referees through Federation/Group/National Panel to the upper tiers of officiating stardom.

Good luck but more importantly - enjoy it!

[Dan_A]

Maybe also contact your local club? They will definitely welcome a young new referee and you can get some experience in training, youth games etc.

[DocY]

Maybe also contact your local club? They will definitely welcome a young new referee and you can get some experience in training, youth games etc.

It may vary from place to place, but I'd caution against that - IME there are insurance problems when referees are informally appointed to games.

[crossref]

that simply isn't the case, DocY - the standard insurance held by every club covers the club for the actions of anyone that the club appoints as coach or referee (or pitch marshall for that matter) Indeed that's the whole point of the insurance, and that's how games are able to take place without external refs

[DocY]

that simply isn't the case, DocY - the standard insurance held by every club covers the club for the actions of anyone that the club appoints as coach or referee (or pitch marshall for that matter) Indeed that's the whole point of the insurance, and that's how games are able to take place without external refs

Thanks for that - I had a bollocking a few years ago for refereeing a friendly (seniors) without going through the appointments sec: "all appointments have to come through me, blah blah blah, insurance, blah blah blah...". He left under a cloud not long after, so maybe he wasn't the most trustworthy source.

[crossref]

It's correct that if you are appointed by the club then your appointment is covered by the club's insurance, and NOT by the society's.
The society's insurance covers only the appointments made by the Society.

(and if you are appointed by the club you shouldn't be wearing your society shirt, making it look as if you have a society appointment)

[didds]

It's correct that if you are appointed by the club then your appointment is covered by the club's insurance, and NOT by the society's.
The society's insurance covers only the appointments made by the Society.

(and if you are appointed by the club you shouldn't be wearing your society shirt, making it look as if you have a society appointment)

You should of course wear your CLUB shirt when appointed by them.

* big wink *

didds

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

You should of course wear your CLUB shirt when appointed by them.

* big wink *

didds

JPR Williams recounts in his 1978? autobiography a referee on one of the Lions Tours ('71 or '74) wearing the same socks as one of the teams they were playing.

Then of course there was that famous South African referee from 1974 - Max Biased - or something like that

Seriously - I understand Fergus Slattery wrote a forward for Max Baise's (auto)biography which if true encapsulates everything good about Rugby.