International Course deemed a success

The FA International Referee Instructors' Course, Staverton Park Conference Centre, Daventry,11 - 18 October 2009

As leaders in the education of referee instructors, The FA have just completed a one week course from the 11 - 18 October 2009 for 30 referee instructors from 23 countries. Most of the participants are key referee educators in their respective countries and were here to develop their teaching skills and knowledge. They have travelled to be with us from Australia, Bahrain, Cyprus, Denmark, Fiji, Ghana, Hellenic, Iceland, India, Ireland, Kuwait, Maldives, Malta, Nigeria, Poland, Qatar, Seychelles, St Lucia, Sudan, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey and Uganda.

The International Course, on which there were 16 participants, considers the main principles of teaching, session planning, using visual aids and offers opportunities for all to demonstrate their skills.

The Advanced Course (14 participants) focuses on modern learning techniques and introduces the learning cycle as well as offering ideas on generic tutor training. Students work long into the night, sharing ideas, developing teaching sessions and preparing presentations to deliver the following day.  The course is intentionally limited to allow personal contact and tuition in small groups. The Course is conducted in English and participants are required to make presentations in English throughout the week. All 30 Instructors completed the course successfully and will now return to their own National Associations to continue the vital work of training referees at all levels to improve and to help with the recruitment of new candidates into this worthwhile involvement as a match official.

Since the first International Course in 1979, over 700 instructors from across all parts of the world have successfully completed it. It is then incumbent on them to return to their respective National Associations to share their experiences and training. As a result, hundreds of referees have progressed via their own Leagues to become FIFA International Referees or Assistant Referees, including officiating at World Cup Finals.

There were several visitors to the Course, including from The FA; Maria de Leon - International Development Manager, David Elleray – Chairman of The FA Referees’ Committee, Ron Barston - FA Referees’ Committee, Duncan Macauley - The Referees’ Association, David Payne - Chief Executive of the Northants FA and Peter Nicholson, Referee Development Officer for the Northants FA.

Dean Mohareb, one of the Group Instructors and also a Referee Development Officer at the  Lancashire FA said of the course: ‘It is amazing how powerful the message of football can be and when people all over the world are brought together to share ideas and learn how to make a real difference, it is extremely rewarding to be a part of.

“I think that I would describe the whole experience as humbling; to hear of a man from Uganda who borrowed money from a loan shark and remortgaged his house, potentially putting the lives of himself and his family at risk in order to develop his skills as an instructor, was very emotional. 

“During the closing ceremony one of the attendees from Nigeria said, "I don’t think The FA realise how important this course is; it has been a life changing experience for me."

“This has stayed with me as an abiding memory of the week and I hope it will encourage the Referees Department to continue to help our international colleagues by running this superb course every year in the future.”

Ian Blanchard

FA Senior National Game Referee Manager