Developing YMOs

[anbocmorrua]

Folks I'm looking for some ideas on how to develop our YMOs. A few young people in the club have bravely decided to take up the whistle. What do you do to encourage and support them along their journey?

 

[Marc Wakeham]

What structures do you have in your Union?

 

[Jz558]

We are lucky at my Club in so much as we have 4 society referees who are club members and regularly referee on Sundays for the youth section. They have encouraged those coming through the referee route to join the society in order to benefit from the resources there but also for those who dont want to join, they assess other club referees and we hold regular meetings throughout the season to discuss good practice and events that arise. In my opinion it is important that younger referees are not thrown into club matches beyond their capability as this will disuade them from continuing. I dont know what existing structures you have at the club but it really needs an experienced referee, ideally a society member, to act as the referee's coordinator for the club and manage those coming through to ensure their effective development.

 

[anbocmorrua]

Thanks, we are RFU land. That makes sense. We don't really have a structure right now. I'm trying to put one in place. I plan to do all the obvious things like reach out to the Society but of course most interested to hear of real life experiences, good and bad

 

[Dickie E]

Folks I'm looking for some ideas on how to develop our YMOs. A few young people in the club have bravely decided to take up the whistle. What do you do to encourage and support them along their journey?

I assume YMO means young match official or similar?

2 things come to mind:
1. remember that they are children and children like immediate gratification. So getting some nice kit, performance feedback, etc early on will be well received
2. don't forget the YMO's parent/s. Getting/keeping them on board and enthused will be valuable. After all, they'll be driving the YMO to fixtures

 

[Marc Wakeham]

Thanks, we are RFU land. That makes sense. We don't really have a structure right now. I'm trying to put one in place. I plan to do all the obvious things like reach out to the Society but of course most interested to hear of real life experiences, good and bad

Developing referees is , for me, a socierty role first and foremost. Clubs can of course do their bit. But get in touch with the society, get your YMOs along to meetings . Then seek what additional work the club can to to support proper development.

Get them "working" at festivals that the club runs.
Have a Referee Lead n hte club who is the "go to" on law etc..
Reward them. Keep fed and watered during events. Top up after.

 

[Phil E]

Folks I'm looking for some ideas on how to develop our YMOs. A few young people in the club have bravely decided to take up the whistle. What do you do to encourage and support them along their journey?

Warwickshire have an excellent YMO programme, one of the best in the country.
I can put you in touch with someone if you like, to have a chat about it?

However the key thing that most Societies struggle with is getting volunteers to help with watching, chaperoning, mentoring, filming, etc.

 

[Ciaran Trainor]

RFU

www.englandrugby.com

We are trying hard in Cumbria

 

[Dickie E]

Warwickshire have an excellent YMO programme, one of the best in the country.

What are its features that make it one of the best in the country? Is there any quantifiable data to support that eg retention rate?

 

[Phil E]

What are its features that make it one of the best in the country? Is there any quantifiable data to support that eg retention rate?

Yes number of new YMO's and retention rate, but I don't have the figures.
Got to say its helped enormously by a dedicated number of volunteers enabling the YMO's to be tracked and progressed.
They also conduct dedicated YMO referees courses, rather than the YMO's being on a course dominated by the likes of us.

 

[chbg]

I've seen them spending all week at the National School 7s. Very assured.

 

[anbocmorrua]

Thanks for al your generous replies. I particularly liked Marc's idea to reward them. My friend's son refs football and he gets paid (effective hourly rate is actually pretty impressive).

 

[Volun-selected]

On the subject of development, how do you get new, young refs to learn the details of the laws? Sitting and reading screens of words seems anathema for many kids my son’s age as he’s much more a visual/action learner and even when playing numerous games they rarely get into the details unless a cunning ploy is being hatched.

Other resources I have such as the USAR Game Management Guidelines are suitably brief and visual but don’t replace knowing the laws - especially when you get a more uncommon occurrence, and are no good for other Unions but at least we all have the same base laws.

Are there any resources you use that work well?

 

[Phil E]

On the subject of development, how do you get new, young refs to learn the details of the laws? Sitting and reading screens of words seems anathema for many kids my son’s age as he’s much more a visual/action learner and even when playing numerous games they rarely get into the details unless a cunning ploy is being hatched.

Other resources I have such as the USAR Game Management Guidelines are suitably brief and visual but don’t replace knowing the laws - especially when you get a more uncommon occurrence, and are no good for other Unions but at least we all have the same base laws.

Are there any resources you use that work well?

The World Rugby Laws Quiz, and advanced quiz.
Once completed you can wipe it and do it again, it mixes the questions up each time.