FFSA congratulates three SA referees

[johnydep]

Well done guys.

FFSA congratulates three SA referees

Football Federation SA congratulates the three South Australia referees that officiated during the National School Championships at Burton Football Complex between Sunday August 14 and Friday August 19.

Daniel Elder, Rick Schneider and Ana Nevjestic refereed at the six-day event giving the FFSA three representatives at the tournament for the first time.

The National Schools Championships showcases the enormous talent that is nurtured in schools and encourages competitors to participate in the spirit of friendship, fair play and respect for others.

This tournament is rated by Football Federation Australia as the highest level of competition outside the Hyundai A-League and National Youth League.

Schneider admitted the National Schools Championships were a great learning curve and the 22-year-old is looking forward to building on his Federation competition success with a third consecutive appointment in the NYL.

"The tournament was definitely a good experience. The level was a lot higher and it was great to learn from the coaches and even some of the other referees," he said.

"This will be my fourth season in the FFSA and obviously the ultimate goal would one day be the A-League and then FIFA."

"I'll just have to keep performing consistently in the local competition and do well in the NYL if I get selected this season."

Elder is also hoping to secure consecutive appointments on the NYL panel after his debut season during the 2010-11 campaign.

"The panel hasn't been released yet but I'm hoping to be appointed again. Obviously I'd love to progress to match referee for the NYL and then eventually into the A-League," he said.

"Going forward I'm hoping to get on the B Panel in the local competition and continue to develop."

The 18-year-old admitted officiating at the National Schools Championships was a great experience.

"To officiate in front of some of the best referee coaches in Australia was an amazing experience. Being involved in such a high level tournament with great standard of football and refereeing was great," he said.

Nevjestic also acknowledged the National League stage is a definite goal and applauded fellow official Paul Cetrangolo.

"I'd definitely love to be involved in the W-League and I'm hoping to pass all the tests to get selected for my second season," she said.

"Being an assistant is something I'd definitely like to concentrate on and excel in. To see what a local referee like Paul Cetrangolo has done, A-League and his FIFA badge, is fantastic."

[Bomber]

We have a refs forum dont we?

[johnydep]

We have a refs forum don't we?

Yeah but they're an important part of the game, we need to encourage more young players to take on the job.

[Georgeo]

Young players should be encouraged to develop as a player and focus on that only and other things like schooling and other sports... Not another branch of the game (refereeing) which will not develop there skills or vision, refereeing is for those who cannot play the game and have lost respect for the game because they are not receiving what they want from it. I know that I would not want to go out to training and hear my coach say that we should all try refereeing and take that up...

There are referees already out there and one thing that needs to be done is get them who are already refereeing to develop and encourage them to develop and learn how to control a game.