It's a ref's call - grab a whistle, give it a try

26th March 2010 02:35PM

By BLAIR COLLIER - Referee's corner - Waikato Times

Busy lifestyles, work pressures, and the need for more family time are all impacting on clubs' abilities to recruit the people they need to keep their clubs going.

And refereeing is no different. Often the hardest step is the first, and when I talk to many new referees they wish they'd started earlier.

The same new referees will normally give me a similar theme when asked the best part of refereeing – getting actively back out on the field after their playing days had ended. It is a unique view of the game, the closest thing to still playing, without the bumps, bruises and broken whatevers.

The mental and physical challenge of controlling 30 players in such a physical contact sport is also spoken about as a drawcard to refereeing.

Many of us thrive on such challenges in our lives, and achieving the right level of control as a ref and watching the players showcase their skills in an open entertaining game is something you can get a buzz out of.

So it can be immensely rewarding, and because you're concentrating on the game you hear little of the sideline discussion on your parentage and such like, and I find more and more people respect you for being out there and doing it.

Experienced players usually pick up refereeing very quickly and find their playing knowledge helps them move up the ranks quickly.

And it is these experienced players we are desperately short of this year.

If practice two nights a week, playing Saturday, and recovering Sunday through Tuesday is all getting too much, and pressure is coming on to spend a bit more time at home, then refereeing is the best way to stay involved in the sport you love.

A growing number of new referees are still playing in the afternoon while refereeing secondary school rugby in the morning. This is how ex-Chiefs first-five Glen Jackson got started in refereeing along with encouragement from his flatmate, Bryce Lawrence.

Through generous support from the WRU and our sponsors, referees are today looked after very well. We have a great kit supplier in Kukri, and all the support and education resources you need to get started.

And come the Waikato rep season we are also looked after with complimentary season tickets.

All in all a package any other sporting club members would crawl over broken glass for.

So the challenge to all of you is to take that first step, pick up the phone and call us.