Sixteen (16) referees from across Northern NSW were selected to attend the exclusive Talented Official Program (TOP) Camp over the weekend.
The TOP Camp is a match official development training program, where selected attendees receive coaching and assessment by accredited and experienced instructors on their performance as referees, assistant referees and as fourth officials.
The exclusive camp was held during the First Touch Football Supplies (FTFS) State Skill Acquisition Program (SAP) Championships at the multi-million dollar upgraded C.ex International Stadium, Coffs Harbour.
The selected referees were identified as having the skills and potential to advance to an elite level of officiating.
Group coaching and development sessions activities were facilitated by experienced NNSWF assessors and instructors, Brad Carlin, Jake Southward, Riley Kirkaldy, Alison Macready and Samantha Newell.
NNSWF Senior Officer, Match Official Administration and Development Brad Carlin, who was one of the five instructors of the Championships, praised the energy and commitment shown by the sixteen (16) match officials in responding to the coaching and assessment given to them and for the improvement that they’ve shown in their officiating as the weekend progressed.
“The young referees worked incredibly hard, officiating high level and competitive football for three consecutive days, and then attending specialised theory coaching sessions each night.”
“Our focus as instructors is on teaching the referees about communication, teamwork, positioning and the skills required to succeed,”
“The talent and effort put in by the selected participants resulted in an advancement of officiating technique during the championship.”
“The best performing referees from this and other recent TOP Camps will be invited soon to participate in the 2020 NNSWF Youth Referee Academy, where the development of talented young referees will be fast-tracked so that they can be considered for selection at FFA national competition events, and hopefully one day the A-League and W-League.
Olivia Flannery, from Football Far North Coast Referees, was recognised as the 12 Years Referee of the Tournament and Cooper Chomicki, from NNSWF Referees was the 14 Years Referee of the Tournament.
Match Officials:
Billy Arthur (NNSWF)
Matthew Boslem (NNSWF)
Celeste Cameron (North Coast Football)
Chantel Cameron (North Coast Football)
Cooper Chomicki (NNSWF)
Serenity Clancy (Football Mid North Coast)
Caleb Coupe (NNSWF)
Emily Hobbs (NNSWF)
Olivia Flannery (Football Far North Coast)
Joshua Hobbs (NNSWF)
Cordelia Lloyd (Northern Inland Football)
Mika Marolly (NNSWF)
Xanthe Parsons (Football Mid North Coast)
Nicholas Stace (NNSWF)
Hamish Wallace (Northern Inland Football)
Joshua Yates (Football Far North Coast)
