On Sunday, March 23rd, Celaeno Park in Palmerston North buzzed with excitement as Central Football hosted a Female Only “Give Refereeing a Go” event alongside the annual Kirsty Dingley Memorial Tournament. This initiative was part of a broader effort to support Girls and Women’s Month by encouraging young women to explore opportunities in refereeing and engage with the beautiful game in a new capacity.

The event was designed to provide attendees with the opportunity to step into the shoes of a referee under the guidance of seasoned match officials. Senior referees Natasha Thorpe, Hannah Dacillo, and Mandy Musa, shadowed and mentored the enthusiastic participants, ensuring they had the support they needed to thrive in this new role.

The day was a huge success, with all participants signing up to don the green shirt, marking the beginning of their journey as officials in 2025. The Green Shirt Programme is a NZF referee recruitment initiative designed to encourage more people to take up officiating in football. The program is aimed at supporting new referees by making them easily identifiable through green referee shirts to signal their beginner status, encouraging players, coaches, and spectators to offer them space and support as they develop their officiating skills as they work towards their Level 1 Accreditation. 

Matt Wallace, Central Football’s Referee Manager, played an instrumental role in organising this initiative. He noted, “It’s great to see so many young women engaging with refereeing. Events like these are essential to show these aspiring referees that they have a place in this game. We’re excited to welcome them into our officiating family and can’t wait to see how they develop.”

The day emphasised the crucial role of mentorship in fostering the next generation of female referees, and the positive feedback from aspiring referees showcased the impact of supportive role models on young officials. Central Football is commitment to growing female participation in all aspects of the sport, not just on the pitch but in officiating as well.

A huge thanks to Natasha Thorpe, Hannah Dacillo and Mandy Musa for being great role models and making the day enjoyable for our new recruits. 

Article added: Wednesday 26 March 2025