Recognition.....

Hey everyone,
Just catching up on a posting from FB (thanks Jeremy for posting this) about a article that appeared locally in Auckland Football Federations web site about the NZ Refs who attended Kanga and the other exchanges that have taken place this year. 

Had a quick look about the other states represented (including my own) and nothing on their web sites celebrating the achievements of Academy referees. 

Recognition of positive achievement of today's youth is a essential step for any youth focused organisation. 

And through the process of developing today's referees, all referee bodies are youth organisations - most start looking for referees at 13-14 (partly to cover junior games with small monetary value, but also to allow time for development).  Bodies look to promote talent just after they come of age at 18 and hope to have them on pathways (State / National Titles) by the late teens / early 20's.  For evidence, just look at Jarred Gillet,  a 25yo ALeague Grand Final Referee, grown locally in Brisbane through this type of process.

Go back just five years ago and the age of the Grand Final referee was 35 (Matthew Breeze) and back to 2005, first year of ALeague, 31yo Mark Shields. 

A conclusion then could be drawn that the future of refereeing is younger referees, empowered with high quality assessors / coaches / instructors, positive development pathways and elite level funding for fitness / coaching requirements to match the increasingly professional levels of football played locally / regionally.  This isn't a revoluntary statement - the highest performers have always been the youngest, brightest.  Just look at our Olympic athletes.  There will still be a place for the older guard (including myself there now), who still have something to offer the 95% of the football community that isn't at the top of the pile - Metro 6 here I come again this week, happy in my role / service to football.

Anyway, back on point... what referees body in Australia, in any sport, cannot afford to nuture and support their juniors with positive press, even if its internal?

The old school would say that the referee is best not seen / heard, allowing the game to flow and only intervene when fair play has been taken away.  And by extension that this applies to all aspects of the game, including celebrating achievements post tournament. 

Well that was the past folks and its time to enter the digital age. Mark modelled this when he started doing positive media on HAL referees performances this past season, both online and in TV media and he is not alone, but there are few who are embracing the new social media world of 24 hr tweets, FB posts, Youtube videos of match events.

FB recently began using media in a new way for senior coaching.  Taking selected sections from its internal Football Brisbane TV service (online streaming of top local games weekly), coaching nights have become very relevant to the members for both teachable moments / discussions and pats on the back of a situation / event in the match well handled.  Recognition at its best and innovative.

What is your body / branch doing socially?

Are they embracing "Y" gen and what they bring and demand of today's refereeing body?

Recognition is now a meal best served hot and quickly, just like junk food they eat at half time