Essex Referee Development Program 2024-25 is a 2-year program  aimed at significantly upgrading the numbers and the standards of newly appointed referees, as well introduce refereeing to younger players interested in refereeing. The program will come under Club Development and overseen by Niall Hornett and managed by Daniel Ricketts (Essex RFU Referee Development Manager) supported by Matthew Todd. LSRFUR Development Manager.

 The purpose of the Essex Referee Development Programme in collaboration with LSRFUR is to achieve the following outcomes. –

(1) Engaging & retaining referees in Essex clubs

(2) Transitioning Referees into The London Society of Referees

(3) Increase the number of appointments to adult social & U18 male rugby

LSRFUR Development Responsibilities

(1)    To run 4 Senior Referee, “Take up The Whistle” courses in each of the Essex, Areas. Each course will have 18 persons attending. Totalling 72 Senior Referees

(2)    To run a Young Match Official, “Take up The Whistle” Courses. Each Course will have 13 YMOs & 5 Senior Mentors attending shared with other CB’s.

(3     To organise with the referee society 4 Referee Education Evenings, throughout the season, shared with other CB’s.

(4)    To recruit and support Referee Mentors to support the new referees on their refereeing journeys.

(5)   To arrange the Referee tutors for the “Take up The Whistle” Courses and the Referee Education Evenings

Essex RFU Responsibilities,

To advertise the Take up the Whistle Courses on Essex Social Media Platforms and to organise the venues

To agree on dates & venues.

Monitoring & Evaluation of the Essex Referee Development Programme

(1)    To meet regularly with the Referee coordinator to ensure the programme is on track

(2)    Any Senior referees on completion of the “Take up the Whistle” Programme, will have the opportunity to join the London Society Referees. Entry will be the responsibility of the Referee Take up the Whistle tutor

(3)     All Senior Referees to track their own Refereeing game time and this will be monitored at the end of each season

(4)    All YMO will have a Club coordinator supporting the YMOs & Referee mentors and will monitor Refereeing game time. This will be recorded at the end of each season.

(5)    On discussion with the Referee Society coordinator and the YMO Club coordinators there will be an opportunity each season to put forward names each season for the RFU Honda Awards & local CB volunteer recognition.

(6)    On the completion of “Take up the Whistle” courses each new referee who has completed the course will be awarded a Referees Jersey.

(7)    To select 3 of the more ambitious new referees and support & fund them on the England Rugby Referee Award (ERRA)