In pursuit of her goal to attain FIFA certification, local referee Kenisha Prescott attended the January Concacaf Referee and Instructor Academy in Toluca, Mexico.
The January 18-31 academy training served as a crucial stepping stone in Prescott’s journey towards becoming an internationally recognised and certified official in the world of football.
Prescott was Guyana’s lone representative at the workshop, which focused on elevating the standard of officiating across the region with strategic training for instructors within the Member Associations.
Prescott said the course has aided her in becoming a more skilled and proficient referee.
“During these two weeks, we were exposed to in-depth teaching on the laws of the game and how to apply them by FIFA Referee Peter Prendergast. These were done in the classroom and on the field. We were also physically prepared for the demands of the game by our Fitness Instructor Allan Brown Morgan.”
“All in all, the course has better equipped me to become a better referee and my journey in the academy will help me to excel and to become a top-level referee.”
The workshop delved into top-level instruction, provided training within a professional environment, and offered hands-on experience officiating matches in Toluca.
For the first time, Concacaf also held the Instructor Academy concurrently with the Referee Academy.
Guyana boasts a quartet of referees on the FIFA 2024 list, namely FIFA Assistant Referees Kleon Lindley and Denisha Isaacs, FIFA Referee Shavin Greene and FIFA Futsal Referee Colin Abel.
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde continues to invest in training for referees to fully professionalise the game.
The aim of the Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) is to increase the number of referees on the FIFA listing for 2025. (GFF)
