Abu Dhabi referee seminar: one day with Kuipers

The Abu Dhabi referee seminar is a very important one for referees on the World Cup shortlist. But will they become a center referee, a VAR or will they not be selected?

Bjorn Kuipers tells us what international referees do during a training camp. “I’ll show you what a typical at the training camp looks like.”  He is the Dutch referee probably present at the World Cup. Because of his good performances he is a candidate for top games during the final tournament in Russia.

In the video with FIFA  you’ll get a few lessons that are useful for you too.

Do a good warm-up

Kuipers: “We always start a large warm-up, because that prevents us from getting injuries”, he says. It’s easy to forget about this, even in friendly training sessions or games. Because you’ll really benefit from it when you are fit when you go to the field of play.

Get direct feedback

During the Abu Dhabi referee seminar referees will train and coaches will tell them how they perform. Kuipers is happy with this way of training. “Because direct feedback if very important for us.”

What will help amateur referees is going to referee associations and train there. Go to mentoring sessions, because talking with other refs is useful. You get feedback on match situations you explain, but can also talk about your problems. And what about trying to get a mentor? These are 4 types of mentors you need as referee.

Eat healthy

“It’s a great feeling to be one of the guys on the pitch”, says Kuipers. But to deliver a top performance, eating healthy is very important. “Health and nutrition is very important”, says Kuipers. “Referees are athletes, so it’s important to eat the right food.”

Do you have any nutrition habits before your games?

Video of Abu Dhabi referee seminar

If you want to see the day in the life of Bjorn Kuipers during the Abu Dhabi referee seminar, check the video below.

Want to know more about Kuipers? Check out the interview I did before the 2016 European Championships.