Referee

Referee Mentors Set to Support Cumberland Officials

Cumberland FA is working with registered referees from across the county to provide a support network for grassroots match officials who are newly qualified or require further support to improve their game.

16 referees attended a recent mentoring and observer workshop at the County FA office to introduce the new support infrastructure for referees across Cumberland.

National Referee Manager, Richard Glynn Jones, delivered an engaging and interactive workshop to the attendees, focussing on supporting referees in the field. This workshop strayed away from the traditional technical details and focused on the softer side to supporting and mentoring individuals, including topics on questioning and supportive feedback.

The pilot programme to support both young referees and those looking to move through the promotion levels is due to begin in the New Year following every member of the group attending a Cumberland FA induction, where referees will be taken through the safeguarding elements associated with such a role.

The pilot programme will work alongside the Youth Leagues and Referee Academy to support newly qualified and young officials, whilst also providing support to established officials looking to climb the promotion ladder.

James Reid, Cumberland FA Football Development Officer, said: “We are looking forward to being able to deploy a group of referees to offer support in-situ to referees that may be newly qualified or just looking for some support.

“We know that going to referee a game can be a daunting task for some, so hopefully this programme moves towards providing a supportive environment for referees to flourish in the role. We have seen the positive impact mentoring can have at the referee academy, which runs on a Sunday morning at Frenchfield, Penrith. Our hope is that we can replicate that work throughout the grassroots game across the county.”

More information on the support structure will be announced shortly, with the 16 officials providing support across the county alongside their own refereeing commitments.

If you have any queries about the programme, please contact Fred.Conway@CumberlandFA.com or James.Reid@CumberlandFA.com 

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