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REFEREE PROMOTION

The first step to becoming a referee is to attend a basic Referees Course. Courses are held at in Kendal throughout the year and will involve at least 10 hours of training followed by an exam on the Laws of Association Football. On passing the examination, you become a Level 9 trainee referee. Once you have officiated six 11-a-side games you become a Level 8 referee if you are aged 15 or under or a Level 7 if you are 16 or over.

The promotion season runs from 1 March to the 28 February each year.

Applications for promotion must be made in writing by registered referees to the Westmorland County FA Executive Officer by no later than 1 June.

If you wish to become a Level 6 referee you must serve at least one season at Level 7 before being eligible for promotion. Promotion is decided through assessment, attendance at further training events, successful completion of a test on the Laws of the Game and a satisfactory average mark achieved in at least 20 matches of open age competitive football during the marking period.

The same criteria applies for promotion to Level 5 with an expected higher level of competency demonstrated within the assessment process. Your personal administration with acceptance of appointments and closing dates when you are not available also assumes a much higher importance. You also need to complete 5 appointments as a neutral assistant referee in order to gain promotion.

Level 5 referees may then be eligible for promotion to more senior competitions. This would involve being a:

• Referee in a Supply League and being an Assistant Referee on the Contributory League – Level 4
• Referee on the Contributory Leagues – Level 3
• Referee on the Panel Leagues – Level 2 and being an Assistant Referee on the National or Premier Leagues
• Referee on the National List of Referees – Level 1

The final promotion would be on to the International List (FIFA).

To be promoted to and remain at these levels a fitness test must be passed before each season commences.

The standard fitness test (up to Level 4) involves:

• Two runs of 50m each in less than 7.5 seconds
• A minimum distance run of at least 2,500m in 12 minutes of continuous running

The minimum age to be registered as a referee is 14. Junior referees aged 14-15 may only officiate in competitions where the players are aged 15 or under.

The Promotion Evening for the 2010/11 season will be held on Wednesday 8 September 2010.

For further information, please contact:

Alan Young
Referees’ Development Officer
Office: 01539 730946
Mobile: 07538 200 479
Alan.Young@WestmorlandFA.com