My first memory of being introduced to rugby, was at the age of 10 standing on a plastic stool in the Shed at Kingsholm with my father peering over the tops of people’s heads watching the likes of Phil Vickery, Terry Fanolua and James Simpson-Daniel tear up the Kingsholm turf. In High School, I was a scrawny winger with an incredibly baggy jersey and a bit of pace, who looked to avoid any kind of contact where possible! Luckily, cricket saved me, and I took that up as my main sport instead.
After almost 10 years of being a season ticket holder at Gloucester Rugby, I decided to get involved with the game and take up refereeing. Having never played the game beyond school level – I’ve probably taken an unconventional route into refereeing. After doing a bit of research and completing the Match Officials course (driving all the way to Hertfordshire to do it off my own back), I got in touch with my local club (Evesham RFC) and met a fellow Gloucester & District Society member who got me my first game at Evesham and put me in touch with the society.
My refereeing debut was a non-society game taking charge of Evesham 4th XI vs. Redditch Vets – the result being 127-19! As the score line suggests it was a very open and one-sided game and had I been in front of the Shed, there would have been some truth in the chant ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’. It was certainly a steep learning curve, but nonetheless an enjoyable experience!
I joined the society in September 2015 and in that time, I’ve have progressed from a ‘probationer’ to Level 8. I could not have done this without being a member of the society. The resources and support available to us are fantastic, from the regular society meetings and guest speakers (incl. Premiership match officials), to the pre-season fitness sessions and anecdotal ‘pearls of wisdom’ from some of the more experienced referees, match assessors and dare I say it the players themselves!
My recent highlights include taking charge of a Cherrypickers v Gloucester Combination vets’ game on a sunny May afternoon with a festival like atmosphere and more recently taking charge of my first Level 7 game at Stow-on-the-Wold in front of a reasonable crowd and with the added pressure of being filmed.
If you have a love for the game and want to help support the game, refereeing is great for improving your fitness, confidence and mental resolve – which you can transfer to everyday life! I have had many enjoyable afternoons ‘doing my bit’ for a game I love, in an inclusive and supportive environment.
