RefChat The Refereeing Forum
Ross McMenemy is the initiator of RefChat The Refereeing Forum. It’s an online support network where referees can share their experiences and learn from each other. In this story Ross tells why you should register too, plus he adds some great tips for you to punt into practice.
Go directly to the Refchat forum.
How RefChat started
Who’s Ross McMenemy, the man behind RefChat? “I’m a level 6 referee, currently registered with Cornwall FA. I started refereeing in 1996 as a 13 year old after a long term knee injury that put an end to my playing career.”
“RefChat started on New Year’s Eve 2010, I was at work and was waiting for a spare part, so whilst waiting I created RefChat. There were other forums for referees out there, none of which were particularly user friendly. So I decided to give it a go using the xenforo forum software, which in my opinion is the best out there.
Creating an online support network
“Wanted to create an online support network where we can all learn a thing or 2. Share our experiences and ask any questions without fear of ridicule. RefChat is a friendly place, with a vast range of experienced referees all willing to offer advice and share experiences with everyone.
Ross’ 3 tips for referees
Ross’ 3 tips for referees would be
- don’t be afraid to ask questions, we are always learning. No 2 games are the same.
- Expect the unexpected. Anything can happen and we all need to be prepared for when it does.
- Smile. We want to enjoy football as much as the players.
Go to RefChat The Refereeing Forum
I (Jan from Dutch Referee Blog) find it a useful place for referees. Every time I go there I’ll find something new or useful, so I really recommend the forum. Go to the Refchat forum.
2 Comments
Dick Sawdon Smith
How right Ross is to say smile. We want to enjoy football as much as the players. .And that starts right at the beginning.when you call the captains up. Take a step out to greet them, arm outstretched for the handshake (Covis 19 can’t last forever) and with a smile on your face. A lot of refeees like to swap names with the captains, I’ve never felt the need to do that, I call them both skipper. When the formalities are done, another handshake and another smile to wish them both a good game. To me, this shows you are friendly, you want to enjoy the game but you are in charge.
Jan ter Harmsel
I have to say I’d probably forget the names of the skippers. Or one. And it would be weird to call one “skipper” and the other by his or her name. Although I say I am Jan, they usually call me ref.