In recognition of this, the FA have created a female pathway that allows female referees to progress through the ranks to International status by only refereeing women’s football, an initiative that helps women referees who wish to be involved only in women’s football and recognises the standard and quality of women’s football. Of course the option to be fully involved in male football is still available in the normal way, as is the option to mix and match as some prefer to referee youth male football and women’s football.
Oxfordshire have a number of female referees and in the last 2 seasons females have officiated on Oxfordshire County Cup finals. Uunfortunately the proportion of female referees is not in keeping with the increase in the women’s game in general so the OFA are taking steps to redress the balance.
So why dont you help address the balance and become part of the fasting growing particpation sport in the country by becoming a referee?
To do so you will have to complete a modular based training course which includes refereeing 6 games of 11v11 (which can be women’s, girls, boys or men’s football, the choice is yours) and will give you the confidence and neseceaay skills to go out and referee a game of football. The course is fun and interactive and is carried out in a relaxed enviroment.
Apart form the 6 games to complete the course, the number of games you referee there after is entirely up to you, it can be anything from a couple a season to a couple a weekend, what ever fits your lifestyle. Of course for those who wish to progress to the very top of the sport there is a requirement to be regularly active.
The course is very relaxed and there is minimal physical activity involved so if you want to have fun, keep fit and meet new friends then this may be the course for you. All through the processes the OFA have an excellent support network to help you achieve your ambitions what ever they may be.
There is no doubt this is a great time to be female referee with opportunities to reach the highest level of the game quite quickly or of course you can just get a lot of pleasure and fun from doing the odd game in your local area.
For more information on this course, women’s & girls football , or refereeing in general then please contact the Referee Development Officer by clicking here or telephoning 01993 894404 during office hours or contact the Women’s and Girls Football Development Officer by clicking here.