WHY REFEREE?
There are many answers to this question. The most common is to remain active in the sport, after a playing career. Some referees start by being cajoled from being a spectator, or bribed with promises of copious ale as there is no one to blow the whistle.
All reasons are valid, but the key to the matter, like playing, is enjoyment.
WHAT IS THERE TO ENJOY ABOUT BEING A REFEREE?
There is the opportunity to travel to new venues, both locally and nationally, and making new friends in the game. No matter where you referee, you will be the closest onlooker to the action! You can still feel the atmosphere, the adrenaline still flows, and you get all the beneficial competitive exercise that you can take because you have to be where the play is at all times! You are sprinting against the fast runners, thinking at speed, reading the game with the playmakers and outwitting those who like to test the referee.
IS IT DIFFICULT TO REFEREE?
Sometimes it can feel like that, especially at the start. However, there is a lot of help that is available from the Society. If you have played the game, you already have a rudimentary knowledge of what is required, together with an empathy with the players. As you become more experienced, the science and art of refereeing become easier, but every match still presents you with a challenge and no two matches are the same.
IS IT A LONELY VOCATION?
It can feel that way at first, especially when you do not know your way around the various grounds. Also, you may not know very many players or administrators in the clubs, particularly if you have not played rugby for some years. This is where your attendance at Society meetings helps, as you will soon get into the swing of things and meet other referees. You will also be recognised and welcomed by players and club officials and you will feel part of the local rugby scene quicker than you might expect.
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