Accrington Referees’ Society believes that every official deserves the opportunity to be the very best that they can be, at whatever level they achieve. Not everyone can be the next Howard Webb, but with the right guidance every one can fulfil their potential.
Accrington Referees’ Society has a thriving, active, mentor scheme in place which is amongst the forerunners in the county, offering both support and advice to newer referees who are taking the first tentative blasts on their whistle.
In Accrington we currently have 12 active Referee mentors and between them they look after 20 junior members who are fully paid up members of the society. On top of this we assist the Lancashire FA in the mentorship of the 500 referees who are recruited every year.
It is our aim to further enhance this by becoming actively involved in the Mini-Whistlers programme, which is currently delivered by the Lancashire FA.
Our involvement will be to have 2 mentors trained up to deliver this programme in local, Accrington schools, on behalf of the Lancashire Football Association. However this will have a cost for each member to attend the training of £300
Mini-Whistlers is a programme aimed at Key Stage 2 pupils, of primary school age.
It fits in to the curriculum by promoting referees as figures of authority and how we conform to rules and acceptable behaviour in society.
By joining and implementing this programme in association with the Lancashire FA, Accrington Referees will be at the forefront of training in the county, and this can only benefit the people of Hyndburn and beyond.