KCRYA14 - All photos now online / Reviewing your performance

Evening everyone,

Well I've spent a productive afternoon indoors (no football for me this Sunday??) finalizing the uploading of Day 4 - Day 5 - Presentations photos to the Flickr account.

If you search for your first name and / or finals game "U/14MPlate" and select Your Photostream as shown below

you'll find pictures of your games, awards ceremony and perhaps random pictures tagged with you or your final game.

Over 1900 pictures online (new record for KCRYA) and I'm still waiting on pictures from NZ and Lynda for completeness (hint hint Paul, Brent).

I'm working on reviewing the video footage shot (mostly of Sunday's technical sessions and Sun - Wed's technical sessions).  At this stage I'm looking at uploading that footage onto a DropBox account for closed distribution but will have to work out the details yet as it's a lot of downloading to view it all (currently 37Gb).  If anyone has better ideas, love to hear some feedback.

I'll also be using the dropbox service to provide footage from past Kanga Cup technical sessions as soon as I can edit it down.  More details in a post later this week.

Reviewing / Goal Setting

How was your first full weekend back post KCRYA?  Any improvements?  New found confidence on your local leagues after refereeing in the hot house of Kanga?  Are you reviewing your performance game to game for areas of improvement?  Have you set new short term / medium / long term goals for your refereeing career?

Your Academy book had some brief reviewing sheets to help you in this regard, but you may have filled them all in.
Here's a possible template to start with.
Jim Ouliaris, formerly FIFA AR, current member of FFA/FFV Referees Technical Committee, FFV's Referee Standing Committee, and AFC/FFA Assessor / Instructor and back in 2012 was FFV's Talent Officials Program Manager.  Jim created along with help from Chris Bambridge, Ian Postlethwaite, Luke Brennan, Carlo Graser, Hakan Anaz, Kevin Dockerty (a stellar range of FFV's top refereeing minds) a range of documents you can still find on the internet and are still relevant today.  Here's Jim's Top Session 2 that covers topics including Unwritten Rules, SMART goal setting, LOTG Q&A, and a short quiz.  Give it a try, see how you go and the unwritten rules are especially interesting reading.
Used with thanks to Jim and the FFV crew.

Gossip from around the Grounds

Post Kanga lag for some of the Qld crew - Lynda has spent most of the week recovering from a cold, missed training but was back out assessing today.  Can't keep a good assessor down long, made of tough stuff up North.

Darren went straight back into the deep end of Football Brisbane's Capital 4 on Saturday afternoon (well someone had to do it!!) and promptly sent off two and cautioned half a dozen, keeping up the hard line spirit of Kanga Cup and not taking any nonsense.  He had a good night's sleep and promptly returned to the airport on Sunday for a few days in Melbourne.


Bit of a step up from this 3 days earlier

Tuesday's training was full of questions from KCRYA Alumni about how good/bad it was. Bit of jealously I felt about our AIS setup I think compared to years past - LOL

I caught up briefly with Oliver at Monday night's junior coaching on the Southside.  Otherwise it's back to normal.  I managed to have two quiet games (Sunday after, just a single RC for VC) and yesterday Capital 2 Ressies was a walk over 9-1, but was a fun training run working my angles. Already working on the annual report, did some correspondence with the KCRYA coaches and spent the rest of this week sorting out my Uni life for Semester 2.



CF - Delfina Dimoski (presenter on Sunday night)

had a big weekend being appointed to ACT NPL U/20's CR for first time.  There is speculation she's aiming on making a big play for Kanga Cup U/12's Plate Grand Final in 2015, so you can follow her progress on Twitter @DelfinaDimoski

Alasdair - MIA somewhere last seen in the FNQ area after missed flights and another long day on Saturday (LOL).

No word from NZ crew, but lots of FB updates indicating everyone got back.

If you managed to get some local publicity for your attendance, send me the link.  Remember, internal promotion of your time at KCRYA within your branch / region could be via your monthly newsletter / publicly speaking at your next coaching meeting - ask your Branch coach / mentor about it.

Anyway, time to get onto something else. Enjoy the photos and don't exceed your parents internet limit.

REMINDER: Visit http://www.ausref.com/index.php/shop for your all refereeing needs with your KCRYA exclusive discount code only valid until the end of July.  Thanks to Scotty for the Flickr site maintenance.

Until next time.

KangaCupRef

Post Academy - Some tools to help you survive and thrive

Evening everyone,

Hope by this time everyone has gotten 12 hours sleep, sought medical help for those colds / aches and pains and have done a load of washing following this year's Academy at Kanga Cup.  Whilst the physical and logistical needs are easily taken care of, it's now time to consider the more complex needs of your brain, namely Post Course / Camp Depression (PCD).  Whilst you haven't been to a American Summer Camp, you've taken part in a short, intense experiential camp program where you've learnt, worked and formed relationships that may be stronger than you realize, similar in many aspects to a traditional camp program (substituting the canoeing / camp songs for officiating / education sessions)

The Academy has evolved over several years to generate quality youth referees for Kanga Cup to support and work along side the Capital Football officials, but the outcomes I believe are longer term for those who take part.  Here's why.....

Darren holding court, Day 1 debrief

Post Camp Depress is the best example I can find of what occurs to referees after attendance at the Academy.  PCD occurs due to several factors.  Tiredness, jet lag for some, intensive shared experience unlike any your refereeing friends / colleges or parents can understand.  You may know the person you shared a room with better than any other just now, something that parents / friends will find difficult to understand and accept.  You may have made connections to mentors / coaches unlike any you've previously had; different structures of living for the week (rigid schedules, expectations, purpose); strong supportive atmosphere of positive encouragement; refereed matches of higher quality and diversity than you'd be given at home.
You may have changed.  Not physically, but you may be more confident, walk just that bit more confidently, have more tools in your toolbox for dealing with difficult situations on the field, have new ideas about your refereeing goals / careers that others will not understand fully - they weren't part of the group, weren't in "the room" at the AIS.  It's a combination of shared experience in a close group that is unique and therefore special to you and will be difficult for you to explain to others.

Your transition back to everyday life might be difficult. You may be back at school / work / university this week, after what was a very different week and perhaps your first time independently away from parents / carers.  The Academy demands early starts, long 16 hour days, physically and emotionally draining, intensive assessments, education sessions and feedback and constant communication with people who were strangers on Saturday evening but might now be close friends.  And now suddenly your expected to be back into your routine of school, sports, friends, and family - the Academy experience is finished.

Solutions to PCD are varied.  Some blogs indicate keeping busy - school, regular life, ensure your back refereeing this weekend in your local leagues (applying your new knowledge / confidence), attend your monthly coaching meeting.  Make a effort to be more involved in your refereeing career - it promotes yourself and also reflects that Kanga had a positive impact on you, without saying it.

And I always say to my students following a longer outdoor education program, talk at length to your parents / close family / carers about your experience.  They ARE ALWAYS interested in not just what you did (U/12 final), but more about who you've become and what new ideas you have about the world.  Parents love to know about the lives of their children, so share it when you feel ready.  If you haven't yet had that conversation, make time later this week or next when your ready to discuss it casually over dinner or a quite time with Dad / Mom / Gran / Uncle.  Sometimes talking with people not closest to you are able to listen the most.  Your referees mentor / coach are also good listeners and could acknowledge your experiences easier as they may have been there, done that in their youth.  If you don't yet have a mentor, ask someone in your branch about it.

And be aware - Kanga Cup and your participation may not be fully supported by your local coach / branch / State even if you did "The Grand Final".  There is lots of reasons for this, but just be patient. Cream always rises to the surface and your accomplishments will be known, even if not publicly acknowledged.

If you need support, there are many coaches / assessors happy to help talk you through it - reach out to Capital Football and I'm certain they will support you further.

 Brendan, William, David and Rodney - coaches and mentors for KCRYA14

PCD doesn't last - like all things, it'll pass with time and distance from this years Academy.  It'll resurface with pictures on Facebook / Flickr or when you get a message from someone online / FB request.  You might return in 2015, but your journey may be directing you in twelve months towards new directions (National Titles, National Talent Pool, more local development opportunities) that are more challenging than what Kanga Cup can offer.  Seek out these options (Kanga Cup WILL continue without you) if they are relevant to your development stage.

But regardles, Keep those friendships and networks going - it's much easier now than when I was at your level (before the internet).  Start a email / FB / blog discussion about your next games, how your improving weekly, achievements at Finals and if your keen, send me notes - happy to promote Academy Alumni achievements here in future posts.

Give yourself time to reflect on your Magic Moments and what you've learnt to take forward from KCRYA14. And remember, it's just a step in your LONG journey, not the destination.

More pictures online overnight and tomorrow as they roll in, working on where to put video.



Cheers

KangaCupRef


Here's some links to PCD for your reading and interest, some ideas I've borrowed for this post.

http://southpawprodigal.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/thoughts-on-post-camp-depression-part-2.html


http://bdgarberphd.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/summer-camp-syndrome/


http://campcounselors.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/post-camp-depression-is-real-heres-how-to-deal/

Kanga Cup 2014 Grand Final Appointments Announced

“Sometimes it's worth lingering on the journey for a while before getting to the destination.” 
― Richelle Mead, The Indigo Spell

Evening everyone,

Well just like every year it's Thursday night already at the Academy and almost everyone has collapsed into bed, dreaming of tomorrow's Grand Final games and the challenges they represent.  I suspect also like every year there are small groups meeting quietly to discuss who has what and how fair or unfair it all seems, how could that person get that appointment over me and why didn't I get what I deserve?  Or did you???

Well having been involved in the process directly for 7 seasons of Kanga Cup it was again a slow and Herculean like task to determine the appointments, but I believe the best season yet in terms of fairness and accuracy in terms of selection.  Many hours of work during the week, much debate on Wednesday about the process which does evolve yearly to meet the changing needs of a growing Academy and competition structure.  This year Capital Football updated their coaching sheet and formed a metric based approach I've never seen before in my 18 years as a coach, giving effectively control of the mark very much into the referees hands in terms of performance. 

Traditionally assessments are part fact or knowledge of the game, part assessor experience / gut feel and part personality.  This creates many varied scores, ranging up and down and isn't the best way to ensure consistency of reporting.

With a new form, featuring 5 sections 

Application of the Laws, Movement and Position, Player Management, Sanctions, Other Duties

and multiple components to meet which the assessor selects from the following in terms of meeting (Rarely, At times, Generally, Almost always (or always))

From this a numerical value has been established against the select component, allowing a numerical calculation to be determined and therefore establish a final ranking figure for the ever increasingly complex spreadsheet started 3 years ago.

Here's a example from today - 

The form both falls closer in line with the FFA national coaching form whilst allowing for a rating / ranking figure to be determined directly by which box is ticked.  Coaching points at the bottom should be the focus and potentially expand on the boxes selected in the 5 sections above.  Some issues are evident, like how to score a match with no dissent or need by the referee to address dissent - we determined to score Generally in this case and perhaps mark N/A (not applicable) to indicate why.

It's not perfect and the process thereafter isn't either, but many factors are out of the control of the coaches group to ensure that the playing field is flat (can't find many in Canberra at all).  Some issues we are always challenged by include having different age groups at same ground, paneled referees performing under or over their panel allocation, appointments outside of the panel as a result of both those issues, numbers of officials -v- competition need (big increase in teams from last year) but referees numbers are down and the tournament effect.  This is evident in two ways, positive and negative.

Negative effects can be sudden illness, fatigue, injury, lack of focus and unrealistic goals or preparation for the tournament.  Positive tournament effects can include the hot house competitive nature of KCRYA, making new friends and connections, swimming in a bigger pool of talent than Saturday local leagues, mentoring / coaching bonds forming, intensive games / education / learning and working environments you've experienced here.

Tournament effect takes a toll, physically and mentally and for many of you it may also be your first time away from family independently, so again more effects on how your likely to perform under pressure, right from Saturday when you arrived - not just the first game.

So if you think really hard and honestly, did you deserve more that what you've been given?  Were you impacted by tournament effect and if so, by how much?  Did you put 110% in all week on all matches, even when you didn't think anyone was watching (we're always watching).  Did you bring the best Complete Youth Referee to this years Kanga or only when you needed to be seen to be the best?  Or are you really a work in progress??

Did you really read and absorb the coaching comments?  Did you improve this week in even one area?  Are you taking away new ideas about how to approach your refereeing?  Did you learn or hear something new, but not yet really thought about it and what it might mean for your Elite Future?  Did someone notice you and really see you?  Were you recognized?  Did you have a Magic Moment?

Remember, semi finals are harder than Grand Finals to control and run in most cases, but don't get recognized as much.  Those aren't just appointed by darts on the board either, so perhaps you need to give yourself a break and recognized that this is just a small step on your journey onto hopefully bigger, tougher, more exciting things in your future as a Elite Referee. 

And 20 years from now, when your back at the Academy as a FIFA guest presenter, you'll remember the faces and some of the names, the crazy coaches who never slept, some of the stories that always stay on tournament but not worry any more about why you didn't get the game you deserved.

All because you were able to linger here at KCRYA for just a little while.....

Good luck tomorrow, you'll be nervous so I won't say don't be (it's natural) and bring your best game, leave it all on the field.

More pictures from Day1 now online.

Appointments here

Cheers and now to bed,

KangaCupRef

Thursday Morning - First update

Well it's just after midnight and I'm finally uploading some photos from the first three days and looking at blog traffic and wondering where did the time go again.  Finals panel meeting concluded quickly, perhaps a record 2 hours and done onsite here at the amazing AIS residential facilities. Excellent food, accommodation that works with big meeting areas (including a TV lounge for tonight's Wednesday meltdown meeting), two per room and free internet (using my own to update you all tonight).  Hope we can get back here next year - I attended the recovery pool session tonight and it's just great to be able to walk there and back in 10 minutes and recover - had a big game today in the rain when we ran out of uninjured referees, 4YC and lots of fun, but was feeling a little sore tonight.

The assessment spreadsheet development over the past 12 months has meant that the referees are ranked quickly and appointments are done without much fuss, atleast from the coaches end.  David Rowell the appointments officer for the last few years will be up until the small hours putting all the semi finals together, along with the regular final round games and consolation games for Thursday, kicking off in about 8 hours.  Big job, good luck tonight mate....

Anyway, there's a bunch of photos going onto the flickr account overnight from Sat / Sun and some of Monday - still chasing other coaches for pics and will update more Thursday afternoon.  My big plan to provide a local access hot spot took most of the week to sort out - technology is a wonderful but painful thing sometimes, so it's back to using up your data plan if you want to view them in the next few days before the end on Friday - Free internet here may help that..

More gossip and insights into the week that is almost over later....

KangaCupRef

First night dinner KCRYA moves into AIS

Here's the first pictures from KCRYA dinner in the AIS canteen.  House keeping rules now and some fun activities next

Kanga Cup alumni headed to top in England

Morning everyone,

I've been busy looking at some tech solutions for next week to make it easier to view photos taken during the day - very easy to spend hours looking at forums / reviews and suddenly you still haven't moved on a purchase for the product your reviewing.  Focus is the question here, and perhaps a good topic for today.

Someone with lots of focus in his refereeing career is Kanga Cup Academy alumni Chris "Pommy" Hope.    Chris attended KC in 2006/2007, an era that has produced several elite officials (along with Nick Backo, FNSW / Aleague AR, Ashley Beecham, FB / Aleague & FIFA AR, Andrew Lindsay, FB / Aleague AR).

2007 was my first year at Kanga and I gave Chris and a young up and comer Ben Schepers (FFV, NYL) at lift from Shepparton up the Hume, having met Chris previously at various FFV regional tournaments.  Ben had a great tournament, receiving the Junior Ref of the Tournament award for his efforts.
Chris was based in regional Victoria at the time and at Kanga has memories of very good referees from across Australia coming together and the U/16 Final.

2007 U/16 Cup Officials

Chris continued to achieve post Kanga, attending National Youth Championships in 2008, along with Alex King (FB, NYL, AFC), moving up in the Bendigo ranks and FFV State Leagues, eventually a NYL assistant referee.  Chris moved to England in 2012 to for work / travel opportunities and to improve his refereeing experiences.

In the past twelve months Chris has been performing and recognized.  He refereed the Lancashire County Cup final (a rare event in your first season), the Counties Cup Final, and the national final of the Premier and the Football League U/19.  This season his been appointed to Conference, FA Cup matches and was promoted to panel select line.  He was also recognized at local level as Preston Referee of the Year.

The national-referee-development program in the UK is very different and somewhat complex (as you might expect in the home of Football).  During some previous discussions, Chris has attempted to explain it and is paraphrased here.
There are levels from 9 - 5 that are run by the regional county football association, approximately 67,000 officials. Then levels 4 (1040 officials), 3, 2b, 2a and 1 run by the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd and the FA.  So it works that once you jump from Level 5 to Level 4 (a large step up, perhaps similar to Level 3 - 2 in Australia), you don't just stay there.  The bottom 20% of Level 4's are returned to Level 5 if they don't perform each year, and likewise along the levels.
The levels equate to the games you are appointed to, and what criteria is required to remain there.  Performance is assessed against these criteria, including club reports.

It's interesting that it appears to remove any political / personal basis out of the promotion / development system and a big focus on mentoring / coaching.

Chris has told me that for level 4-3 upgrade to take place, you must be in the top 10 of your regional pool and 3 out of 80 will get promotion.

To make it real world, the U/19 EPL is a Level 4 league to referee which is where Chris has been last season (they are off season currently).

Chris indicated that the assessor / coaching system is very different to, with assessment marks being moderated based upon assessor's prior marking levels.  Guaranteed to get three different assessors per season (wish we could do that at Kanga)

Chris is now officiating at the top 1% in England and looking to keep moving up.  Having known Chris for a while I know his focus and professionalism will take him far.  I appointed him to a FFV regional semi final back in 2009, knowing that his skills and attitude towards the game would ensure that what was normally a tricky appointment would be safe in his hands.  And it was.

What are your goals / focus for KCRYA 2014?  And where do you see yourself in 5 years or 7 years - NYL / Aleague / EPL perhaps?  It's possible as Chris's experience and hard work has shown.

If you haven't thought about what you'll get out of the next 7 days, perhaps it's time to FOCUS
 - 1 day to go...

Photo Quiz

2006 Flashback - Can you name this young lady from the 2006 Opening Ceremony, taking the officials oath?

Hint - she's a local

Ok, time for a bit of sleep and final laundry / packing - may post Friday night if I get it all done. Thanks to Chris for his time in creating today's post.

Cheers

KangaCupRef

Returner news KC14 - New Zealand Focus

Morning everyone,

Well been to training yesterday evening and the buzz about Kanga Cup 2014 is certainly alive, with lots of discussions from Brisbane alumni and some envy from those who can't attend this year.  Was really cool in Brisbane last night (9 degrees), so using it to start acclimatizing for Canberra's maximum in the day.

Anyone with answers to my last posts question?  Here's a more recent picture after training at coffee recovery

Some positive publicity crossed my FB feed yesterday for two returners from NZ from their local football federation Waibop Football sees Daniel Wilkinson and Greg White join the Academy again this year.  Daniel rolled on with a big year after his Assistant Referee U/13 Cup in 2013, awarded the Most Promising Youth Referee at the Bay of Plenty 2013 Awards night.  No word on Greg White's achievements since last July, but I'm sure he'll be aiming to improve on his Assistant Referee U/16 Cup role this time around. Welcome back guys.

If your attending next week, try and get your local referees body / branch coach to run an article on your journey to Canberra on their web site or perhaps in the local media.  It's a great way to get noticed in your career, recognition for taking a interest in your own referee development, generates buzz about Academy participation for next year and lots of fun usually.

We try and take pictures of everyone during the week on games, socially and at formal events and they all get posted to a Flickr account for free re-usage online (Facebook / Twitter / Blogs). The account is hosted by Scott Ferguson for over ten years and he continues to be a long term supporter / former coordinator back in the early days.  Please support Scott's referee equipment business http://www.ausref.com/ he has great deals and excellent service.

The Waibop area is producing some fine referees of late, with Nick van der Salm being a previous alumni from Academy 2009 and a FIFA AR since 2011.  Nick had a great week, refereeing from U/13's to the U/18's final.  Nick is reflected in a increasing number of referees who journeyed through Kanga Cup enroute to FIFA.

Ben Norman, Ben Fairweather, Nick van der

Salm displaying their Kanga Cup medals - (C) Paul Smith 2009

Looking back to 2009, it was a tough year for the Academy.  We lost our regular booking at the Bush Capital Lodge, so stayed at the Canberra Grammar School in the boarding accommodation (very cold), social time involved playing my Xbox (endless Call of Duty missions) and recovery sessions was a game of pool on a broken table, and few pictures were taken (I can only find 64).

In 2009 we did 101 assessments / coaching reports between 9 coaches and 116 referees, 38 who didn't get a official assessment.  In comparison, last year 271 assessments between 23 coaches covering 135 referees, 15 missing assessment (due mostly to unavailability all local referees).

There's been marked if slow improvement every year and we're aiming for 100% assessment this year of the 141 referees approximately expected to take part.

Coaches Corner (The NZ Version)

Mark Hester, also from Bay of Plenty area attended the last 2 years as a coach, but has moved onto a FIFA Fitness Instructors position with OFC and won't be back this year.  Mark's recent adventures include instructing the next generation of Referee Instructors at a OFC Fututro III course in Samoa - just a little warmer than Kanga will be next week.  Drop us a line from whatever island nation your running about in next week Mark, you'll be missed in those early morning fog warmups.




Making his return from NZ this year in the coaching ranks is Wayne Stapley (Mainland Football RDO, FIFA AR '97) KCRYA 2011-12.  Wayne implemented the fines system (his a police officer!), and last year the $$$ at the end of the week was lacking without his attention to detail, so great to have you back Wayne.

Also returning are,
Brent Wilson (Mainland Football) KCRYA 2011-2014

Ian Glover (Mainland Football) KCRYC 2012-2014

Paul Smith (Auckland Football RDO, FIFA AR sometime in the 90's - before the internet), KCRYA 2007-2014

and a big welcome to new addition David Brooke (Auckland Football)

Great to have a strong NZ crew attending and contributing to the overall excellent coaching and mentoring work being done at the Kanga Cup.

US -v- Belgium is on so I'm off to watch

Hope to write about a Kanga Alumni now on his way to the EPL later today.....

Today's photo quiz - taken from 2009, can you name these three and the photo bomber on the right side?

Go USA

KangaCupRef

4 days to the Academy 2014

KANGA CUP IS BACK

Hi there Kanga Cup referees,

Well it's that time of year again already, with KC'14 just 4 days away as I type this.  As usual I'm blogging in the dead of night, watching some Wimbledon before the 2am KO of France -v- Nigeria in the World Cup tonight and looking forward to watching some world class referees.  The American crew is on tonight, so see how they compare to the Aussies from last night / earlier today? 

(C) SBS 2014

Thought Ben and crew had a great game, could be in for a big surprise for all those Europeans out there who figure his not experienced enough to get the big game - reading too many referee blogs.  

Anyway, just a quick note to say Hi and have you all check out the newer features of the blog for 2014?  Kanga Cup has re-branded and I've been invited to join, so feeling a little special and hope to keep improving the flow of interesting articles / pictures / stories and gossip from this years tournament over the next 10 days.

Biggest tournament in the 23 years, 274 teams registered and 140 referees, 40 in the Academy, with I think 11 coaches in camp, including the return of the NZ crew of Paul Smith and Wayne Stapley, so bring your $$$ for those fines.

With this in mind, I'd love to do another "where are they now" article this week - so if you attended last year or last decade I'd love a few words / pictures about where you are now in your refereeing career post your Kanga Cup experience.  Drop me a line on FB or email / call.

Coaches Corner

Can you identify these former Kanga Cup Alumni who are returning this year as coaches?

Hint - it'll be nice to have a strong Qld presence again!!!

Thats it - game on in 10 minutes and other things to do.

Until next time

KangaCupRef