Capital Football reporter Maddison Sawkins caught up with Referee Administration Manager, Adam Powers, to get answers for our ‘Quickfire Q&A’ on the [KEEPUP.] Kanga Cup Referee Youth Academy. With the iconic Youth football tournament due to begin with the Opening Ceremony in ten days, there was no better time to discuss this important part of the competition.
What is the Referee Youth Academy and why did it start?
Adam Powers: The [KEEPUP.] Kanga Cup Referee Youth Academy started as a development opportunity for local referees, and those invited from interstate and internationally, to come together and provide an intense tournament environment where we can develop referees and give them education and specialist referee coaching. We require the assistance of people from other states and internationally because we can’t utilise all our registered referees from Canberra. We provide this unique opportunity to help to create a pathway in Australia.
Why should someone want to be a ref?
Adam Powers: It’s the best seat in the house. It keeps you fit, it keeps you active, It’s a good way to earn money and good for developing communication, leadership and people skills which are all very important skills you learn being a referee.
How does a Referee get picked to referee in the [KEEPUP.] Kanga Cup?
Adam Powers: People can either apply to the Academy and the applicants can fill in the nomination form and we review those around May and notify people who have been accepted in June. If they haven’t been selected in the Academy, whether it’s a local in Canberra or a person who has a sibling playing in a [KEEPUP.] Kanga Cup team, they can apply to be a local referee and they can register to be a local referee by going on the [KEEPUP.] Kanga Cup website and submitting the form. They will receive information from us on how the referee appointment process works and all the match fees.
What does the Referee Youth Academy bring to the Football community?
Adam Powers: It allows the ACT Referees to work with interstate and international referees and see how Referees officiate elsewhere. We are also able to share experiences and improve our officiating including the referee coaches that come overseas who are able to provide their experiences. We have a Referee Coach who’s coming in from New Zealand who just came back from the U20s FIFA Men’s World Cup. So, he’s going to bring the most recent FIFA Referee coaching to the Academy but also all the referees .It’s improving the interpretation and application of the laws of the game.
