Local Match Officials Courtney Jameson, Samantha Lucas and Maddison Smith recently attended the Northern NSW Talented Officials Program (TOP) Camp and officiated at the Telstra State Championships for Girls in Coffs Harbour.
In total, fifteen young female match officials were chosen from across all zones in Northern NSW to officiate at the State Championships and participate in the camp, where they were given specialised coaching and assessments on their performances as referees, assistant referees and as fourth officials.
Coaches at the TOP camp included Brad Carlin, Alison Macready, Kirralee Andruschak and Luke Mackney.
Coaching was provided on the laws of the game, player management, optimal positioning by the referee, team work between the match officials, advancing skills with flag work, whistle blowing techniques and wall management.
The match officials were assessed on every single match during the State Championships and they had a de-brief session with the assessor at the end of each game in which they officiated.
There was also a coaching session held after dinner on each night of the camp where the referee coaches reinforced the things that they were doing well and the areas of their performance on which they need to focus on.
NNSWF Premier Competition Match Official Coordinator, Brad Carlin, was overly pleased on how the young match officials performed across the weekend.
“It is has been pleasing to see how well these talented young referees have responded to the coaching and assessment that they have been given over the weekend. As evidenced by the improvement in their performances and the very high standard of officiating that has been on display,” Carlin said.
FFNC Match Officials Development Officer, Anthony Smith, says “this camp provides our local match officials an opportunity to gain further feedback about their refereeing and learn skills to assist their development as a match official. The girls will have gained valuable feedback from experienced coaches that they can now bring back to help at a local level.”
