Chasing a dream: seminar for promising referees

One of the initiatives launched by the MFA Refereeing Department was the Talent and Mentor scheme which prepares promising referees and assistant referees in their bid to make it at the highest level in the local game and abroad.

During this two-year programme, a small number of referees are followed closely by a mentor who gives them the necessary support in order to improve.

Five referees and two assistant referees attended a seminar between the 16th and 17th January with the theme “Chasing a Dream”. The participants were referees Emanuel Grech and Darryl Agius with their mentor Gaetano De Gabriele, referees Ishmael Barbara, Elvio Degabriele and Alex Johnson with their mentor Alexander Spiteri and assistant referees Jurgen Spiteri and David Castillo with their mentor Philip Agius.

The participants were addressed by Talent and Mentor scheme co-ordinator Victor Mintoff, Director of Refereeing Adrian Casha, Alexander Arena, Alan Mario Sant and physical trainer Ronald Zammit.

The main highlight of the seminar was the detailed analysis of the games controlled by these match officials during the previous week.

Participants had the opportunity to discuss with their mentors whether they had achieved their objectives this season.