Football Far North Coast have their first Level 4 referee course (introductory course) locked in as plans are well advanced for season 2023.

• Date: Sunday 27^th November 2022
• Time: 9am – 3:30pm
• Venue: Crawford Park Clubhouse (Alstonville FC) – Freeborn Place, Alstonville
• Register here: https://education-ffa.sportingpulse.com/event.asp?ID=25836

There will be NO COST to participants (normally would be $120), (with inclusions being to receive a set of referee clothes, all course materials and registration as a match official for 2023). FFNC is meeting this cost that is paid to the State Federation and Football Australia. Remember also, that match officials get a modest payment for officiating, so there are plenty of incentives to get involved.

General Manager Steve Mackney says that that TEN (10) people have registered thus far, which is encouraging, but many more match officials will be required for next season. A ‘Call to Arms’ has been put to clubs to encourage your members to register. It is about being part of collectively trying to find a solution to the perennial shortage of match officials. MORE representation is required from female candidates and people aged over 18 to become an active match official, but anyone who is aged at least 13 can become a referee.



Mackney also says, ‘There are also too many locations within the zone that do not have a single match official, despite the player participation exceeding 7000 per season. The declining number of referees puts more demand on club volunteers and in a role that requires knowledge and support in how to officiate. There is much to be done!! We ask clubs to promote the 27^th November course through socials, website, email, word-of-mouth and any other suitable platform and I appeal to the broader football community to recognise that referees typically come from existing players, coaches, parents and supporters."

Full information about our next course can be found on the FFNC website here: https://footballfarnorthcoast.com.au/l4-referee-course-alstonville-271122/

Further courses have been confirmed for 2023, being January (school holidays) at Ballina, two courses in February (Goonellabah and Ewingsdale) and another course at Alstonville in March. The full details for these courses in 2023 will be provided in due course by FFNC. Email [email protected] if you have any questions or have contact details for anyone that is interested in attending the course on the 27^th November 2022 or one of the courses in 2023.

Football Far North Coast also extends an invitation for club delegates (or anyone really, even if you are not registered for this course) to also come along on the morning of Sunday 27^th November and chat about ideas to evolve better outcomes for issues relevant to officiating. This will be a separate matter from the formal Level 4 course. Managing behaviour is also an ongoing conversation. Mackney says "people often make comment that ‘something has to be done’ to curb inappropriate behaviour and the abuse towards referees, or believe that they have the answers to resolving the shortage of match officials."

An invitation exists to pick up the themes on Sunday 27^th November, with more opportunities planned leading into 2023 to progress better outcomes for the game and to enhance the participation experience and for the game locally.

The soccer chief concludes by saying, ‘We can no longer sit back and believe that this crisis (that is the dire exodus of match officials every year), will simply correct itself without intervention. As always, I invite feedback and input’.