REFEREES

 

New Referee's Development Officer

         
The West Riding County F A have appointed a Full Time Referee’s Development Officer who will oversee of all aspects of Refereeing in the County area.
 
Steve Rhodes (above) is the man charged with maintaining and improving conditions for local referee's.
Although born in Featherstone, Steve lived in Pontefract until 1977 when he and wife Sue moved back to Featherstone where they have remained ever since.
 
Educated at Kings School, Pontefract, Wakefield College and Sheffield Polytechnic the 52 year old spent the last eleven years of his working life as National Account Manager with Ardagh (formerly Rockware) Glass until taking early retirement in July this year.
 
Steve moved from playing to refereeing in 1984 and was promoted to Class 2 in 1985.
Elevation to Class 1 came in 1987 but a spell as a Supply League Referee was cut short by work commitments.
 
An active Life Member and Treasurer of the Castleford R.A, Steve now concentrates most of his refereeing time to local Castleford games.
 
"I am proud to say that I've refereed the final ties of each competition run by the Castleford FA"   says Steve.
"Probably the biggest achievement in my career was the appointment to referee The WRCFA Sunday Trophy at the end of the 1999/2000 season".
 
By 1992 Steve was an FA Registered Assessor and became a Licenced Instructor six years later.
 
Steve most recently took over as Head of Referees' Development in 2004 and is now looking forward to the challenge of County Referee Development Officer.
 
"The West Riding have recognised that a full-time position is the only way to move referee development forward and my primary goal is to retain currently active referees whilst also trying to increase the numbers involved".  says Steve.
"It is my firm belief that there has never been a better time to become a referee given the expertise we have in the initial training and ongoing coaching for them, the support from RA's and the opportunities available to progress. Whether it is taken up as a hobby or more of a career, refereeing can offer something for everyone who likes to be involved in football, irrespective of their background".