We have tried to put together the most freqently asked questions. If you don't find what you want then please contact David Dixon and he will try to find the answer for you.
Q. Who organises County Football Association (CFA) Basic Referee Training Courses?
A. The CFA are responsible for organising and running these courses however, in some counties they are run by the local Referees’ Association on behalf of the CFA.
Q. Who is responsible for organising the courses?
A. The CFA appoints a Referee Development Officer (RDO). They will respond to any enquiry received regarding referee training and development.
Q. How do l decide which course to take?
A. The RDO or their representative will advise you of the best option to suit your requirements and advise you of the courses available or any that are planned for the immediate future.
Q. What are the options?
A. There is a Pre-Course Questionnaire and flow chart, illustrating the options open to you. You can discuss these options with your RDO in order to choose the course best suited to your needs.
Q. How do l make my choice?
A. After consulting with your CFA you complete and return the Pre-Course Questionnaire together with the appropriate course fee.
Q. I want to do all kinds of Refereeing - do l tick all the boxes?
A. No. Tick only the box for 11-a-side Football. From there you can take individual workshops to cover other aspects of football.
Q. But I only want to referee in small-sided soccer and mini-soccer.
A. Then tick only the boxes for these courses.
Q. Can l transfer to the full-sided course after taking the small-sided courses?
A. Yes - by informing the CFA who will advise you of the next available course.
Q. Do all the courses qualify me as a Registered Referee?
A. No. You will be awarded either a certificate, or both certificate and Small-Sided / Futsal badge as applicable. Only the 11-a-side course will qualify you as a Registered Referee.
Q. Why is this?
A. The 11 v 11 course is designed to prepare candidates for the rigours of refereeing in full-sided games. The course is intensive, delivered with either a practical or theoretical emphasis, or a combination of both. There is a requirement of pre-course study and an assessment of knowledge test during the Introductory session. This is followed by attendance on the course where application of the Law will be illustrated. Some competence appraisal will be carried out during and after the course. There are two examinations as well as six 11 v 11 games to referee within a three month period before attending a compulsory In-Service Training workshop. You must also complete a Child Protection workshop and CRB check. Only after satisfying these criteria will a certificate be awarded. You will then be Registered as a qualified County Referee Level 7. (If under 16 you may qualify for Youth football as a Level 8 referee until your 16th birthday at which point you are automatically reclassified to Level 7).
Attendance
Q. How long are the courses?
A. The duration of the courses is indicated on the flow chart. The short courses may be one or two sessions. The full Basic Course for 11-a-side Football will be run over a number of weeks or full days, depending on your CFA needs. The RDO will provide you with this information.
Q. How much are the course fees?
A. These vary according to the type of course you wish to take. The CFA will advise you of the fees pertaining to the course you wish to take.
Q. If l drop out after enrolment and after l have received the Pre-Course Study Pack, will my fee be refunded?
A. No, but you can join a later course at no extra cost within the same season.
Basic Referees Training Course
Q. If l enrol on a Basic Referee Training Course what happens next?
A. You will receive a Pre-Course Study Pack from the CFA. This will contain a DVD on “Learn the Laws”, an A4 study document and a Laws of Association Football booklet. You should receive this in good time for the recommended 10 hours of study. You should try to learn the Laws in order to take an assessment of knowledge during the Introductory session.
Q. What is the Assessment of Knowledge?
A. A simple multiple-choice question paper on the Laws of the game to gauge the level of your understanding. The course has a focus on application of Law so it is important to confirm your pre-course study has been adequate and to establish if there are any areas of Law that need further clarification.
Q. Must l attend every course session?
A. You are recommended to attend all course sessions as there will be competency assessments throughout. The course co-ordinator will be sympathetic to difficult personal circumstances. If a session is missed it is at the discretion of the instructor as to whether this can be made up during the course.
Q. Who organises the games?
A. These are organised through liaison between the course instructor, local leagues and the CFA / RDO where applicable.
Q. Should l purchase the various coloured variety of kits, like the TV referees sometimes wear?
A. No referee regulations require you to wear kit which is mainly black.
Q. If l have 6 x 11 v 11 games to referee before l qualify, have l any authority?
A. Yes - you have exactly the same authority as a fully qualified referee. During your training period you will be registered with the CFA as a Level 9 Trainee Referee. This will also cover you for insurance purposes.
Q. Will l be supported during this period?
A. During your training period it is hoped you may be accompanied by an experienced referee to some of your games. They will not be there to test you but to offer support, advice and feedback to assist your development. If you already know of a referee who is willing to act as your mentor, you can be pro-active and inform your course co-ordinator. You will always have access to a course instructor via telephone or email to seek help and advice.
Q. If l advise of my email address will it be of assistance?
A. Absolutely. The course co-ordinators will be able to send you useful information between planned course sessions and during the 6 games period prior to the In-Service workshop. This link will be of assistance to League Competition organisers for contacting you for the 11 v 11 games. Your permission will be asked to do this and all emails sent will be deleted at the end of the qualifying period. The email addresses of instructors and contacts will be available for assistance, support and answering queries.
Q. What if l do not have time to do the 6 games before the In-Service workshop?
A. The purpose of the consultation with the RDO by phone is to advise you of the commitment you will need to make if you enrol on this course. Organising games and mentors is a big undertaking for the course personnel. If you play football it may be possible to arrange alternative times for your games but if not, you will be asked to referee rather than play. If there are genuine circumstances where there are still one or two games to fulfil then an agreed agenda will be arranged. Remember: you will not qualify until all the criteria are satisfied.
Q. Can l find my own games and if so what can they be?
A. Yes, provided that they are full-sided 11 v 11 games, sanctioned and you obtain verification of completion of the game(s). They can be friendlies, school fixtures, youth football or adult matches if you are 16 or over. (Mini-soccer and small-sided football do not count.)
Q. During my game l was given team sheets by each club. What do l do with them, and do l need to send a report?
A. Normally it is the referee’s duty only to keep a record of the game, so you do not have to report anything other than misconduct and possibly the result. However, occasionally it may state in competition rules that the team sheets are to be sent to the league or CFA. You might be contacted later if there is a doubt as to the score or player eligibility, so keep the records for at least that season.
Q. What do l report then?
A. This will be explained during the course but generally misconduct in line with Law 12. These are FA or County FA matters and you will be required to complete and send a misconduct report form. You will be advised how and when to do this. You can seek advice during the course if you need to do this after a game as it should be done within 48 hours (excluding Sundays or Bank Holidays).
Competition rules may also require you to report clubs to league organisers for such deficiencies as failure to mark out the Field of Play adequately or provide goal nets.
Next Step Workshop, Safeguarding Children Workshops and CRB Disclosures
These will be explained fully during the course.