working as a ref

conbob

im only 17 and in my leaving cert year. i think its very hard to find a job in town and i was thinking i could be a gaa referee. id be reffing younger matches obviously. just wondering whats it like being a referee. heard they get a lot of abuse and all. what you think of it?

Flukey

It's not a job first of all, so if you can't get a job, being a GAA referee is not a solution. The GAA is an amateur organisation. However, if it is just something that you want to do, there are courses and at least one regular here is about to embark on one. Contact your GAA club. You'd need a good knowledge of the rules of the game and preferably some playing experience and a good and fair temperament and be able to put up with the abuse.

jackbhoy

You would get expenses for reffing but nothing near enough to make a decent living out of. Personally I wouldn't do it, I remember reffing a few challenge matches when club was stuck and its a thankless job. From going to games and hearing the vitriolic abuse thrown at refs, often by people who haven't a clue of the rules themselves, it amazes me that people choose to do it.

sgthighway

THERE IS A BIG SHORTAGE OF REFS IN GALWAY. AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE U16 MATCHES ARE ON TUESDAY FOR EVERYONE AND THEY STRUGGLE TO GET A REF FOR EACH ONE. I AM CONSIDERING BECOMING A REF MYSELF BUT I WOULD MISS WATCHING MY OWN CLUB PLAYING GAMES.

BY THE WAY DON'T GIVE OUT ABOUT ME USING CAPS LOCK. PEOPLE SAY USE CAPS LOCK IF YOU WANT TO SHOUT AND YOU HAVE TO GET USE TO THAT IF YOU WANT TO BE A REF YA BIG B______X. (only joking you have to learn to take the abuse)