This article is part of an introduction to the policies and activities of each Prefectural Football Association divided into 12 categories: “Senior”, “Class 1”, “Class 2”, “Class 3”, “Class 4”, “Kids”, “Women”, “Futsal”, “Beach Soccer”, “Referees Committee”, “Facilities Committee (Environmental Maintenance)” and “Technical Committee.” We hope you read this article through and become familiar with the various activities held across the country. We again introduce activities of “Referees Committee” in this article following the last issue.

Note: The following article appears at the “REGIEONAL NEWS” section in the January 2015 issue of the JFA news.

Referees committee initiative – Kumamoto Football Association

AIBA Tadaomi, Referees Committee Chairman
“Developing Kumamoto’s Football and Referees Situations”

In Kumamoto, there will be a new Football Class 1 referee and new Women’s Class 1 referee in 2015. It is very pleasing of course for them as well as for this prefecture. We now have a fulfilling number of referees as there are four Football Class 1 referees and five Women’s Class 1 referees. I hope they will be career goals for many other referees and further do great work as a role model.

We focused on three key points in 2014: enrichment of training for promotion to Football Class 3, enrichment of female referee training and increase of youth referees.

While the qualification exams for Class 3 promotion take place three times a year, their pass rates had decreased during the past years. One of the reasons was that there were some cases where applicants were taking the qualification exam without receiving proper practical lessons. In 2014, we set up pre-exam training classes for those who are interested. As motivated test-takers-to-be took the lesson, they made a great improvement compared to themselves before taking the lesson so that the pass rate eventually rose in that year.

We have two Football Class 4 qualification lessons in a year and female referees training once a month. At the referee training that utilised the U-14 Women’s Football Tournament, all the 36 matches were officiated by female referees with supports from the host and participating teams. While lots of youth referees were officiating as a referee for the first time, Women’s Class 1 referees offered instructions to assist them so that the training became very productive.

Under the understanding and supports from the Class 2 and 3 committees, we also held qualification lessons for referees from Football Class 4 and Futsal Class 4. They led to an increase in the number of youth referees.

Major areas to work on in 2015 were composed of four areas: to improve the Class 3 qualification system for youth referees, to instruct female referees who aim at higher classes, to increase futsal referees and futsal referee instructors and to strengthen the tie with each football committee across classes. Most youth referees are also players on their own football team and have various restrictions in time and travel management. Considering those circumstances, we will think about how we can provide referee instructions and how we can qualify Class 3 referees.

In the 2015 season, as Tokai University Kyushu promoted to the division one of the Kyushu University Football League, division one’s collegiate league matches will be held in Kumamoto. This means a lot for Kumamoto’s referees. The Referees Committee will continue to contribute to the creation of a prosperous society through football.