Young
match officials are in short supply and the future of this rare breed which
goes out every weekend in what is often a thankless job at amateur level seems bleak.
They are being asked to carry a bigger load-competitions are increasing yearly.
The long-term effect of referee shortage may eventually be felt at the school level,
that day may not be far off.”The best officials are the ones you don’t notice” But,
what if you don’t notice referees because they are not there at all? There are
a number of reasons for this.
Approximately
in Kenya, there are 12 active referees within 18-25 age bracket, 3 being ladies.
Nairobi region seems to have a huge chunk on this number and conceivably an
indication of the good referees it has produced over the years. Clearly,
regional societies have a vital task in recruitment and development of
referees, various societies are reluctant on this matter and some appear to
have found their best foot. In my view, there are simply three societies i.e.
Nairobi Region Referees, Rift Valley Region referees and others. Others include
Central, Coast and Western Rugby Regions; this is based on the number of young
referees and the number of match officials calling their shots at the senior
level.
Additionally,
for those of us who frequently watch rugby events at all levels, it is fairly
obvious that abuse targeted towards match officials causes loafing among young referees.
It is plain as day that there is a problem. Who doesn’t remember 2019 Prinsloo 7s 1st semi finals? A fretful scene it was at the end.So, how do we
start to change it? The ultimate solution is creating more positive environments.
Causes like KRU of banning home games for teams with unruly fans are a step in
the right direction.Coaches, fans and players need to get back to finding joy
in playing the game. I forecast referee abuse and hostile environments will shrink
next season.
Also,
too much expectations from newly recruited young match officials is a reason
for them to throw away their whistles.But,do they really understand the
development pathway put up by KRRA?It is imperative that such education is
shared with referees on their way up the
ladder at the national and regional stage . This will help young match
officials to set realistic short term and long term goals, therefore; a bigger
pool of referees can be kept over the years.
Furthermore,
insufficient support from KRRA and top cream referees can be a barrier to young
referees progress; support includes technical, psychological, financial and
physiological aspects. Is it logical to have a wardrobe full of kits yet there
are junior referees who multitask their kits for training and match-day? How
often do law books supplied by the union reach junior referees at the society?
That aside, according to (J.B Muamba,2018) refereeing environment is often unfriendly,
performance is publicly scrutinized and decisions elicit long debates, stress
has far-reaching consequences on health and private life of referees .Therefore,
proper mitigation measures should be put in place to ensure referees can
develop coping mechanisms.
However,
the role of motivation on developing match officials should not be overlooked.
This doesn’t necessarily mean having a lavish $ 500 award ceremony, a set of
referee kit, law book, whistle, trip to another region, watch or even
acknowledging the youngster on social media can be a great reinforcer.He/she
may not be the best referee but through officiating they may end up getting a
job opportunity, contract or generally non-sports benefit.
Lastly,
do senior referees and coach of match officials really understand the
psychology of working with junior referees? A reason perhaps why most young
lads enjoy being coached by Sammy Kariuki alias U-19, Lameck Onagati, Adelaide
Nasambu or Enoch Amadi.At times it’s all about creating a good atmosphere for
the juniors to be comfortable. When these senior chaps have junior referees
running the line for them, do they bother even to know their identity and
personality? Perhaps a phone call prior to the match? Do they even bother to
have a post-match chat? A good avenue for young lads to pick some points while
having a bottle or two!
I
still dream of a day Kenya will have a core referee at the world rugby 7s series
or a Kenyan officiating tier one matches.
Comments
Refereeing is a very lonely place in a team sport like rugby. We are in the spotlight. every decision is analysed, criticised and dissected. What if a player misses a tackle? Misses a pass? slices a kick? that's just put down to the sport, these things happen - BUT when a referee misses (in the eyes of the spectator) an offside or a tackler slow to roll away, they as individuals come under the spotlight from all sides.
This is difficult for any referee of any age and to be honest any experience but it is especially acute for younger officials who are more susceptible to negative / unsavory comments. They need to handled in many ways with kid gloves, by people who understand them, who can motivate and get the best out of them.
I try to remember what I was like then (not that I was a referee at that age) but I was very aware of what people thought and said about me - now I couldn't care less - I say or don't say things as a ref or an AR for a very good reason and I'm happy to explain to anybody who would like to listen but even as a junior ref approaching 40 I would clam up, become defensive and hide away whenever I was criticised and that includes from my coach or assessor - after all we are told we are the sole judge of fact and law - and then somebody with a clipboard says we were wrong?!!
As I coach young referees I am acutely aware of the psychological nature of the job in hand and the balance they must make between law and allowing the game to flow. I have read insightful self-reviews, solid reports and player feedback and the ONE thing that I want my young referees to do, the one thing I tell them to focus upon (because I know it will bring huge benefits) is to go and have fun, enjoy your refereeing, exchange some banter, exert your authority when needed and make mistakes - it is after all only a game