At what age can someone start to referee?

[Dan Cottrell]

My son, aged nearly 13, keen to start refereeing...

When can he start the process?

 

[Phil E]

Minimum age for a referees course (mini/midi or ELRA) is 14.

 

[dave_clark]

although would there be anything stopping him refereeing the real youngsters in tag rugby before then? technically it's not *really* refereeing, but could get him into the swing of it.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

My lads did ELRA at 16 and 14. They refereed at School and tag tournaments at local big club but not much else as they still play.

 

[Jenko]

My son, aged nearly 13, keen to start refereeing...

When can he start the process?

Dan. Is he in Wales or England? Differnet courses in the 2 countries. I got a number of my squad to do ELRA at 14. They now referee U13 and 14 matches at the club (under supervision). He won't be able to do the course until he is 14. ( I had 1 lad who was a week away from his birthday on the date of the course and he couldn't do it). There is also the young Officials course (again have to be 14 I believe.)

If you are in Wales you probably want to ring your local contact. http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/development/referees/welshsociety/index.php

 

[Phil E]

If he is going to ref at his club below 14 without having done a course, check on the insurance angle first.

 

[TigerCraig]

Seems a bit old over there (but then so do many things - eg lifting). We start them at 12, but they can't do their Level 1 until 15.

We also have a 2-year gap rule (so a 12 year old can do no higher than under 10 etc) unless the boy is talent spotted and put on the development program

My 14 year old has done 2 years now, and got to do a Grand Final this season. He also runs touch for senior games as an accredited AR

 

[dylanthomas]

In Wales, referees have to 16 and over for any game from u7s upwards.

 

[TigerCraig]

In Wales, referees have to 16 and over for any game from u7s upwards.

Wow - thats getting on for retirement age !!

 

[Simon Thomas]

Seems a bit old over there (but then so do many things - eg lifting). We start them at 12, but they can't do their Level 1 until 15.

We also have a 2-year gap rule (so a 12 year old can do no higher than under 10 etc) unless the boy is talent spotted and put on the development program

My 14 year old has done 2 years now, and got to do a Grand Final this season. He also runs touch for senior games as an accredited AR

14years is set by RFU as the minimum age to do the ELRA course (so contact 15 a side rugby) as the course is based around contextual judgement and materiality, and professional advice was that 14 was the earliest this is established.

 

[TigerCraig]

14years is set by RFU as the minimum age to do the ELRA course (so contact 15 a side rugby) as the course is based around contextual judgement and materiality, and professional advice was that 14 was the earliest this is established.

For us Level 1 (ie Under 13 and up - full IRB Under 19 Laws) you need to be 15, unless invited as part of the talent spotting programme

Under 10's and 11's (12 a side, full contact, all games are league gmes) are generally done by 12-14 year olds.

My boy has done about 30 league games now, mix of Under 10's and 11's, in addition to well over 50 Under 8 and 9's games (full contact except uncontested scrums and no league)

I hate "professional advice" - these are the idiots stuffing up Australia's fast bowling stocks by "resting" guys instead of keeping them working. Same type of idiots who want anything remotrely dangerous fenced off or padded.

 

[Simon Thomas]

so contrary to your earlier post's comment, they start refereeing a year earlier for U13 & older 15-a-side contact rugby in England.

as for the "professional advice" I am referring to academic sports psychologists, one of whom happens to be an Aussie and is one of the RFU National Panel Referee Managers . We all have our health & safety loonies and 'protection' do-gooders but there are some useful sports professionals who have made significatnt contributions to perormances across many sports in the last decade.

 

[B52 REF]

i think st means that if you have to have a minimum age best advice is 14- means most that age will be able to display some contextual judgement. We all know kids who have it in spades years before that (and are way wiser than some 18 year olds.) i q.like the oz approach - particularly talent spotting- more bespoke and assesses the individual's maturity not year of birth but i guess the richest union in the world hasn't got the resources for that. DAN - get him club reffing/shadowing refs now i.e. learning the art then he can pass first avialable elra after his birthday.

 

[TigerCraig]

so contrary to your earlier post's comment, they start refereeing a year earlier for U13 & older 15-a-side contact rugby in England.

No, my earlier post mentioned the "2 year rule", ie. 15 year olds can referee 13's, 14 year olds can referee 12's, 13 year olds can referee 11's and 12 year olds can referee 10's and down.

Having said that we had a 14 year old refereeing my sons Under 14's this year - he is on the talent spotting list.

 

[Simon Thomas]

You said - "Seems a bit old over there (but then so do many things - eg lifting). We start them at 12,......."

Well that seems to change to 15 years for full contact U13 15-a-side and above and you apply a 2 year rule. We apply a one year rule in RFU land so we start them at 14. And those on talent list / quick fast track will get same year opportunities early on too.

More and more talent identification going on B52, but the minimum 14 years rule remains.

 

[TigerCraig]

You said - "Seems a bit old over there (but then so do many things - eg lifting). We start them at 12,......."

Yes, we start them refereeing competitive league games at 12. That is when they can do the "Refereeing Kids Rugby" course which is our entry level.

The requirement for Level 1 is 15 and allows them in theory to referee anything - including semi-pro suburban seniors.

Your ELRA appears to be a midpoint between our RKR and full Level 1

In any case, the more kids taking up a whistle the better. Sometimes I wish it was like netball (which I've had a long involvement in as coach, umpire and umpires coach through my daughter) where if you want to play, you have to umpire at least 1 game a season.