Last month saw The FA Referees' Department hold their 21st International Referee Instructors' Course at the new St Georges Park centre. 

Sixteen participants from as far afield as Japan, Seychelles, India, Saudi Arabia and Iceland enjoyed the superlative facilities on offer at the new National Football Centre in Burton.

For seven long days, the participants dealt with new techniques including the learning cycle, principles of learning and presentation techniques, as well as offering new ideas on developing referees. 

During the early part of the course, they worked in groups designing, developing and delivering two indoor teaching sessions and after each one, they were offered feedback by their experienced tutors, identifying ways in which to improve and develop their skills.

The later part of the course involved practical training using the fantastic indoor covered 3G pitch at SGp and after being offered a number of demonstration sessions, they then planned and delivered two practical sessions.

On the final night of the course, a celebration dinner was organised to highlight the great effort, work and energy everyone had put into the course.

Gisli Johannsson summed up his experience by saying: “This has been a fantastic week, one in which I have learned so much, made lots of new friends but more importantly I have now lots of ideas that I want to use when I go back to my country.

"The FA is without a doubt the best when it comes to referee education."