SSF – Mini Referees Program

Hurlstone Park runs a Mini-referees program.

Junior players – 11 to 14 year olds – will be refereeing your children’s games.

Their role is really as ‘game leaders’ and includes explaining the rules of the game as well as refereeing. This means that there may be more interaction between the referee and players than you may be used to in adult competitions, and from time to time players may be allowed to have ‘another go’ at some skills such as free kicks.

This is not an error, this is the job of the mini referee at a junior game.

It is possible that during a game the mini-referee will do something that you do not understand or disagree with.

Please ignore it- it does not matter in the context of the game.

If you feel that a mini referee is consistently making an error in interpreting a rule, please raise the issue with the Saturday Morning Co-ordinator, who is also the coach and mentor for the mini referees.

Do NOT raise it with the referee directly- these are children and fellow Hurlstone Park members and we have a duty of care to protect them from anything that could be perceived as harassment or bullying.

The Club has a zero-tolerance approach to inappropriate conduct towards match officials at all levels.