The 1st Referee Assessor Training for 2014 was held at JFA House on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April. 
The programme included discussion on evaluating referees mainly intended for newly-appointed assessors, basic understanding of calling handling fouls and “Revising the New Assessment Report” which had been addressed since the 2nd Assessor Training for 2013. 
The Assessment Report is the evaluation format with which referees have their performance in the game evaluated. The current version of the report is scheduled to be revised and the new format will be in use starting in the 2015 season. 
In addition, the refereeing standards have been adjusted and standardised by using the films from the matches played so far in this season. 

Major topics of the 1st Assessor Training for 2014

A) Discussion on referee evaluation for five newly-appointed assessors in 2014
B) Standardising evaluation using the new assessment report (Match used: J1 match in the 2014 season.) 
C) Basic understanding of calling handling fouls

Instructor Comment

OBATA Shinichiro, Vice-Chairperson of JFA Referee Committee and Chairperson of Coaches Subcommittee
A) Discussion on referee evaluation for five newly-appointed assessors in 2014
This is a programme we did for the first time. We discussed on topics such as how we maintain consistency between comments and the numerical score on an assessment report and how to put effective feedback in writing to referees. 
We let them know that we instructors are supposed to develop referees and always need to learn from other assessors’ perspectives and use of language.  
As we know it is a difficult thing to evaluate a person and teach, we want to keep improving ourselves as well.

B) Standardising evaluation using the new assessment report (Match used: J1 match in the 2014 season.) 
Participating assessors had an assignment prior to the training, which was analysing a 2014 season’s J1 match film and write down evaluation on the new assessment report.
In the training, they all brought their assignment into the group discussions including the degree of difficulty of the match evaluated in the assignment, key incidents, performance evaluation under each check point and the total evaluation score. After the discussion, each group shared their idea to the rest of the participants. 
Above all, we focused on the evaluation related to the main referee.
We want to keep organizing the assessment report format and make it useful for everybody to evaluate based on the same perspective.

C) Basic understanding of calling handling fouls.
We shared with participating assessors the basic understanding of calling handling fouls that we normally share with J-league main referees.
Using the match films, we concentrated on confirming provisions included in the “Football Regulations” such as “whether player’s hand or arm is moving toward the ball”, “how far the distance between the opponent and the ball is or whether it is an unexpected ball” and “whether the position of the hand is unusual”. Today, balls and players move much faster in matches than before and it is getting more difficult to call a handling foul. So we should have a clear reasoning.

Participants Comment

ONISHI Hiroyuki, JFA Referee Assessor (Hyogo Prefecture)
This time we based our discussion on the prior assignment that we prepared after watching the same match film. We discussed each check point in groups. Check points we talked about are picking up key incidents, standardising our evaluations and improvements necessary in the new assessment report. On the new report format, it will have both good points and points to be improved in each category. The new format will be more detailed than the current one. I think it will be useful to improve each referee’s strength and give the referee precise advice where he or she needs to work on.
I am still a new instructor / assessor. I want to keep learning on my analysing skills, how to provide precise advice to a referee based on key incidents in the match, and how to use effective language and express myself so that referees will be able to take advantage of us for their self-study and improvement.

MATSUMURA Kazuhiko, JFA Referee Assessor (Hiroshima Prefecture)
In this training I could see how difficult it is to evaluate referees. Also I realised that such evaluation can be a major factor to lead referees to a better direction. I am still nervous in a sense, but I will keep doing my job as an assessor with my own philosophy, and develop as many good referees as possible.

SHIMOMURA Masaaki, JFA Referee Assessor (Niigata Prefecture)
It was my first time to participate in this training as an assessor. I felt that other members were so passionate in developing good referees. I am so thankful that I used to be one of them on the receiving end of such training, and now I am so willing to give back and help others as much as possible.

HIRANO Shinichi, JFA Referee Assessor (Osaka Prefecture)
This assessor training gave me two kinds of new idea. In the morning, I could listen to other assessors and how they think about how to communicate our refereeing experience to current referees. As such messages are communicated from a person to another person, it is important to help them to realise new things and get actively involved. I learned so many things including the importance of putting it in writing in the report.
In the afternoon, we listened to other experienced assessors and how they analyse matches. It gave me an opportunity to think once again about how wide and deep the perspective possibly can be.
I will surely take advantage of this opportunity for my upcoming work as an assessor.