The event was enjoyed by 22 young referees, ranging from referees that are currently booked onto a referee course, to those that have been refereeing for a couple of years.

The event was created by the BBFA Youth Network, who wanted to put on a specific event for those U23 who are starting out in their refereeing journeys, allowing them to share similar experiences and discuss decisions and events that are relevant to them. 

Sessions included Outdoor training on assistant refereeing, whistle technique and management of the penalty kick. We were also delighted to be joined by Football League Assistant Referee, Kevin Howick, who delivered a keynote speech in the afternoon.

Kevin reflected on some of his challenges during the 2023/24 season, discussed how he learnt and became more resilient from these challenges and shared some highlights during the season, including bringing the match ball from his appointment at the 2023/24 EFL Trophy Final. Kevin also discussed a number of clips from his games during the season, with the young referees discussing, sharing opinions and learning from these clips.

The first conference of its kind held in the region, received positive feedback from BBFA Referees, including:

‘I enjoyed speaking to experienced referees, learning what it is like to referee at higher levels.’

‘I found it very useful and was a great refresher for me.' 

‘The guest speaker, Kevin Howick, was very insightful and open with his experience. I learnt a lot about the key attributes of being an assistant referee.’ 

Thank you to Kevin for joining us on the day and congratulations to all the young officials who took part. Given the success of the event we hope to return with an even bigger and better conference for our young referees at the end of the 2024/25 season!

Below, you can see some of the key figures and outcomes from the conference. For more information about Refereeing in Berks & Bucks, please contact Referee Development Officer, Adam Parry, via email.