'Mini Whistlers' programme

The Football Association is committed to supporting grassroots clubs to raise standards of football provision. School, club, league and referee development all form an integral part of The FA’s National Game Strategy.

We fully understand and embrace that not all young people will have the skills needed to be fulfilled as players, however, there are many that if introduced young enough would gain a lot of knowledge, skills and enjoyment in participating as a match official.

Football is now played from a very young age; it is therefore a vital ingredient to introduce the role of the referee as being an option to participants within the game. This initiative will allow them to learn and develop in a semi cosseted environment and gain the confidence needed to expand into other areas of football.

'Mini Whistlers' programme

Our aim is to deliver an introduction to officiating through schools and clubs via a ‘Mini Whistlers’ programme as the first step of the development pathway as a match official.

This offers to widen the depth and breadth of knowledge and experience gained by our young people through, Mini Soccer, Small-Sided football and beyond, culminating in the Basic Referee Training Course which will enable them to officiate 11v11 open-age football, as and when appropriate. This initiative we hope will also be supported by those taking their ‘Junior Football Organisers Award’ and other leadership programmes.

The programme consists of a three-hour Continued Professional Development course which is linked to the existing Football Development CPD programme that would run in accordance with the existing ten Education modules. The introductory workshop would be delivered by experienced, qualified FA Referee Instructors to PE teachers and coaches.

Once trained the PE teachers, coaches and referee Instructors will be able to register to run a course through their County FA. This will then allow them to access resources to run the course for students aged 11-14 at their school as part of the Leadership and Volunteering programme or Charter Standard Club. The advantage of this model is that after the initial training it is financially self sustained as schools/clubs would be able to purchase student resources to continue the wider development of the programme.

Key objectives

• Introduce refereeing to young people and to enhance their knowledge and understanding on the Laws of Association Football
• Provide quality instruction to officiating supported by resources and equipment for schools/clubs to continue the development of this sector of football
• Encourage links, growth and participation by those undertaking the Junior Football Organisers award
• Offer opportunities to officiate in cosseted environments.

Course content

We believe that officiating is an integral part of children and young peoples learning and development within football and this initiative would link into the good practice principles that are currently being delivered.

Outcomes

• Knowledge
• Leadership                                                          
• Ownership
• Respect
• Behaviour
• Empowerment
• Development Pathways

Skills

• Management of self/people/situations
• Communication - verbal/body language/cool & calm/assertive/non-aggressive
• Decision making - courage/self esteem

To achieve the above our objectives would be:

• Encourage young people to take up the challenge to officiate games and tournaments
• To provide children aged 11 to 14 the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge as a match official which in turn will improve their leadership skills, confidence and self esteem
• Support young people to progress their officiating through Schools, quality FA Charter Standard Junior Clubs and County FA Youth Clubs who display the same ethos for learning and development
• Introduce refereeing to young people in order to give them the opportunity to experience the enjoyment and fulfilment as a match official at an early stage of their development
• At an early age help prevent barriers being raised towards match official’s therefore nurturing and developing respect between the different roles in football
• Develop leadership skills in young people
• Engage young people in the process of respecting the role of the match official
• Raising awareness of the benefits available throughout the existing development pathway
• Continue to endorse safety issues regarding the field of play, including goalpost safety.

This will be achieved through the delivery of the programme using the following:

• Downloadable teaching resources provided by The Football Association in the form of ‘Can they do that ref?’ cards that can be laminated and used in an outside environment
• Ideas on how to deliver the programme using a practical delivery to enhance the learning outcomes of young people
• Information around the Laws of Association Football and Laws of Mini Soccer and Small-Sided football to assist and enhance the development of knowledge and best practice principles
• Practical training equipment to enhance the reality of the learning experience and support the teaching or coaching staff.