Derbyshire boosts numbers

The Chesterfield & North East Derbyshire Leadership Academy, in association with the Derbyshire FA, have delivered their first Basic Referees Course, at Tupton Hall School.

The Chesterfield & North East Derbyshire Leadership Academy supports young sports leaders aged 14 to 19 to gain specific coaching and umpiring qualifications in conjunction with Sports Leaders UK ‘Leadership’ qualifications.

The aim of the course was to train and deploy 25 newly-qualified referees into the Chesterfield & North East Derbyshire Junior & Senior Football Leagues. The course was a great success and hopefully a repeat will occur in October 2009, helping to provide a number of new referees in line with The FA’s Vision of creating 8,000 new referees nationally.

This Academy is part of a wider programme of structured activities during school holiday periods.

Nigel Smith, Referee Development Officer for the Derbyshire FA said: "A big thank you is in order for the time and dedication the Course Instructors displayed in ensuring the course was a success.

"This will prepare the referees’ for when they take charge of their first game."