I was on a gap year working in a school in Perth and they sent me on a coaching course. But when I got there after a long bus journey, the people running it said the course was full. They offered me a refund or a free place on the refereeing course. As I was faced with the prospect of sitting around for ages waiting to get the bus home, I decided to go for it.
From there, I refereed the odd school game and then it was back to England to go to university in Nottingham, where I played on the Wednesday and referred on a Saturday. Injuries meant I had to give up playing the game and that’s when I properly threw my hat into the officiating ring. I enjoyed it and it was a good way of staying involved in the game. As a back row you are never far away from the action and that helps you get a good understanding of the basics of the game.
When I joined the Warwickshire Referees’ Society, I broke the mould a little bit in that I was younger than your average referee. But everyone was so welcoming and Ian Roberts was just an absolute legend, he really was a great mentor and coach and is still a very good friend. Refereeing can be quite lonely, you turn up at a club and you’re on your own but having the support of the society was invaluable to me.
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