As a county FA we have recognized the need for extra support for referees in their first year and by pairing newly qualified referees with selected Partner Leagues, all of which will have been audited to ensure they have the correct environment to support and develop new referees, we are able to offer a comprehensive scheme to retain our newly qualified referees.
Partner Leagues will offer a mentoring scheme for referees as well as independently appointing referees to each game, avoiding issues that can rise from referees having to go back to referee the same team week in, week out. The county FA will support its Partner Leagues by means of regular feedback between the League and the county with mechanisms being put in place to allow promising referees to progress into the Referee Academy and Development Group structures and then onto the senior game.
We are delighted to announce that the Berkshire Girls League have agreed to be our first ever Referee Development Partner league, with many more leagues expected to follow suit in the very near future.
For more information regarding Partner Leagues please contact Chris Carter, Referee Development Officer by email Chris.Carter@Berks-BucksFA.com
