Although season 2024 has been exceptionally disrupted so far, the perennial shortage of match officials continues to be problematical.
The number of referees is not increasing at the same relative rate as player registrations (almost 7800 this season) and despite there being 120 registered match officials in FFNC this season, there is insufficient depth of adult referees and too much reliance upon the many rookie match officials, to support the demands of officiating across a broad geographical footprint each weekend (and now often mid-week as we aim to reschedule fixtures).
This communication is fundamentally an ‘appeal’ to clubs, to support a final effort, to encourage more people to come forward and become qualified as a match official this season. The procedures to attain basic level accreditation (as defined by Football Australia), are outlined in the attachment. FFNC is working with Northern NSW Football (NNSWF) to recruit NEW match officials before the deadline of 30 June, with a proposed practical session to be scheduled on Sunday 30th June (details to be confirmed in due course).
To summarise the steps required;
- An individual candidate (must be aged at least 13 years) completes the online Laws of the Game modules. This is FREE of charge;
- The candidate proceeds to work through further online modules noting that this requires a payment of $183.00 (refer to the details disclosed in the attachment) however candidates can anticipate being reimbursed by FFNC when they start officiating;
- The candidate completes a practical session facilitated by NNSWF;
- New FFNC match officials register in that role in playfootball, just as players, team officials and volunteers do;
- FFNC subsequently appoints match officials to fixtures.
- FFNC facilitates match payments to match officials on a fortnightly basis.
Please do what can reasonably be done to encourage club members (especially current and former ADULT players and coaches) and parents, to come forward and gain accreditation to be a match official. As advised back in March, it is inevitable that CLUBS will be required to source ADULTS to referee many games in 2024, because there are simply not enough accredited match officials available for FFNC to appoint to every match.
If you know any person who is prepared to become a match official, please view the information shown here and contact referees@ffnc.net.au.
