initiative launched to protect young referees

Some of the young referees taking part in the new safeguarding scheme

Young football referees in the north east Wales area are to benefit from new safeguarding measures.

The North East Wales Football Association along with North East Wales Referees Association recently went live with their PROTECT OUR REFEREES initiative.

Each referee aged between 14 and 17 have been issued with a yellow armband with the wording U18 REFEREE printed on. This is to identify the referee as a child.

An NEWFA spokesman said: “We need to try and protect our junior referees and keep them in the game as long as possible and not expose them to tirades of abuse from disgruntled managers, coaches and parents alike, even at times players.

“Any form of abuse has to be reported; this includes opposing managers and coaches, also parents.

“We can’t put the onus on a child to report this abuse, adults need to step up to the mark.”

A message from NEWFA referees officer Steve Jones…..

Do you fancy becoming a referee?
Are you aged 14 years or older?
Do you want to earn more pocket money than doing a paper round every morning?
In the local junior leagues, you can get paid from £18 a game on a Saturday morning. For the adults’ game fees start at £25, obviously going up the higher the league you officiate in.
The North East Wales Football Association (NEWFA) are holding a number of face to face meetings at Brymbo Sports Club, Tanyfron, Wrexham in an attempt to give any potential referees out there as much help and information needed to guide them through the process of applying for and passing the advanced referees course.
The course as is stands is an online course and costs £80, this includes the online course, a full match-day referee’s kit with accessories, ie, flags, whistle, note book and cards.
As well as having all the above, you will have the full support from NEWFA and me in particular.
NEWFA will host the latest of these meetings on Thursday 13th February 2020.
The meeting would start at 7:30pm and last no longer than an hour.
If you’re interested and want to look at the course before attending one of our meetings please visit: http://www.becomearef.wales
I hope to see you at the next introduction meeting.
Steve Jones, referees officer, NEWFA. Email: ronewfa@gmail.com – phone 07723051754