South Yorkshire Referees have launched the Gamemaker Project with hopes to increase the amount of Rugby in South Yorkshire after struggling due to injuries and unavailability.
The Gamemaker Project hopes to encourage participation through offering free training, resources and kit to people who are interested in becoming a Gamemaker.
If Gamemakers enjoy the project and think referring is for them, they will have the opportunity to receive a free membership to South Yorkshire Referees.
South Yorkshire Referees hosted a sign-up session on Monday 27th of November at the University of Sheffield, where many budding people showed up to express their interest in becoming a Gamemaker.
Ben Nuttall, 24, from Rotherham, attended the session on Monday. He said: “I have no rugby officiating experience prior to this, but I have been a fan for as long as I can remember and have been a football referee for nine years.
I wanted to try something new. I’ve always admired the respect and the manner in which the game of rugby is played – so different to football. I’ve wanted to do it for a while but couldn’t find a course. When this course came available and as a bonus it was free, I jumped at the opportunity.”
26 candidates, representing over ten clubs, showed up to the session on Monday, with 11 people signing up to be a South Yorkshire Referee member. Ten women and four keen Young Match Officials were among the people who joined the session.
Mr Nuttall said: “It’s an opportunity for people to get involved with sport overall. It allows people to take up officiating when they may not have considered it before and it allows those that play to ensure they can have a game. As they say, no ref, no game. This looks to change that.
Just that I think it’s a fantastic idea and I hope that it gets the publicity it deserves and more people sign up to help the game continue to make lives better.”
After individual’s attend their free introduction to refereeing course, they officially become a Gamemaker.
If South Yorkshire Referees cannot cover a club’s rugby game, the Gamemaker of the club takes over so that the game can still go ahead.
In return, South Yorkshire Referees will prioritise the rugby club who lost out on a referee for their next home game.
South Yorkshire Referees tease another sign-up session in the new year, so keep your eyes peeled.
