For many years in Otago, our Provincial Referee Director, Alex Buttery, who is also a teacher, took the initiative to transport Balmacewen Intermediate touch players to the Kensington Oval on Thursday afternoons. There, she introduced them to touch refereeing by having them officiate Year 1-4 games before they played their own matches at 4:45 pm and 5:15 pm. We consistently received positive feedback from the teams fortunate enough to have a Balmacewen referee, but we often couldn't accommodate all teams. With up to 26 games being played at 3:45 pm and 4:15 pm and only 10-12 referees available, the demand far exceeded our supply.

We attempted to engage other intermediate schools in Dunedin to offer the same opportunity to their Year 7/8 touch players, but encountered challenges. Many students from other schools found it difficult to report to a teacher from a different school, and they often struggled to gain respect from coaches and parents who would sometimes overrule or take over from them, not recognising them as legitimate referees. The students also preferred to spend time with their teammates rather than officiate games.

During the pandemic, as we navigated various restrictions and alert levels, we identified a significant challenge: the many Year 7/8 students who would come to Kensington Oval straight after school and "hang out" for a few hours before their game at 5:15 pm. We advised schools that students needed to either stay at school until 30 minutes before their game or sign up to be junior referees so we could disperse them into game bubbles and manage the total number restrictions. In Term 1 of 2022, we started with 25 referees, coerced to get the concept off the ground.

Recognising this as an opportunity, we developed a Junior Referee Academy plan, clearly outlining the outcomes we wanted to achieve and how to create a programme that would not only survive beyond the pandemic but also become a successful model that could be implemented across our junior community modules throughout the greater Otago region.

A key element of the plan was ensuring that students were recognised as the official referee when they stepped onto the field. Our Operations Manager, Jarrod Powell, designed several options for an academy singlet, and the referees voted on the final design. We secured funding from TAB NZ and the Bendigo Valley Foundation to produce 200 shirts that the students could wear over their PE uniforms each week. We also provided whistles and employed a Junior Referee Academy Coordinator to support the referees with the necessary structure.

Mitchell Lee, a young ex-Otago referee, was appointed as the coordinator. Each week, he managed the referee appointments, provided training tips, and offered mentorship during games. Due to his age and experience, the students quickly adapted to Mitchell, and we saw the academy begin to flourish. The students took ownership of their roles and even extended the opportunity to their friends.

Our initial goal was to have one referee for the 29 games played at 3:45 pm. However, due to the overwhelming response, we now have two referees buddying up for most games at 3:45 pm and at least one referee covering 13 games at 4:15 pm. We have even had to cap registrations, with some schools maintaining a reserve list for students who register but don’t turn up. This season, we successfully extended the programme to our Junior Community Module in Taieri, with senior students at Taieri College stepping up to support the Year 7/8 students during their games.

Term            Oval Refs      Taieri Refs

Term 1 2022:     25 

Term 4 2022:    40

Term 1 2023:     29

Term 4 2023:    43                     16

Term 1 2024:     48                     8

The growth of the Junior Referee Academy has been truly remarkable and a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. The collective effort, and mahi put in by the students, teachers, and coordinators has not only addressed the immediate challenges posed by the pandemic but also laid the foundation for a sustainable and thriving programme. It’s heartening to see these young referees take pride in their roles, gain confidence, and contribute to the community in such a meaningful way. Watching the academy grow and seeing more students, schools, and communities come together to support this initiative has been incredibly rewarding, and it’s exciting to envision where this momentum will take us in the future.

Article provided by Tracy Fleet, Otago Touch Association