“Invest in your knowledge and growth”- GFF President to referees

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) wrapped up a five-day FIFA-facilitated futsal referees’ workshop at the National Resource Centre on Sunday last with the presentation of certificates of participation.

The workshop, which began on December 5, saw the participation of 13 match officials from Berbice, Linden, Georgetown, West Demerara and Essequibo engaged in theory and practical exercises.

In giving brief remarks at the closing ceremony, GFF President Wayne Forde said he was pleased that the referees have stayed the course and completed the programme, especially in light of the upcoming year-end futsal tournament.

He urged the referees to invest in continuous personal and professional development: “I would like to encourage everyone to continue to invest in your knowledge and growth as well as both your practice on the field and conduct of your person as you represent not only the referees but the Guyana football fraternity.”

“The referees have gotten much better for the duration of the course. Their knowledge has improved and they’re better suited to do the upcoming tournament,” FIFA Instructor Shane Butler said.

“There’s still some work and practice to be done on the mechanics/techniques, but I have no doubt that they will be a success in the coming weeks. Basic football knowledge is high but areas, which require additional work, include positioning, mechanics and signals, which outside of the book, they have not seen before. It will not be perfected overnight, it’s a gradual learning process and the more repetition is done, the better they will become.”

Butler, who was on his first international assignment as Instructor, said it has been a satisfying experience: “It has been a great success. I’ve taught football before but this is my first out of the country teaching through FIFA. I think it has been a great success and I look forward to more events and hopefully return to Guyana and see their knowledge and mine get better and we all grow and learn the game together.”

The practical sessions were held on Friday and Saturday at the National Gymnasium.