Injury forced Mac Northeast to give up playing football – but it’s only one of the reasons he became a referee.
“Firstly, because many of my son’s U17 games didn’t always have [assistant referees] or sometimes only one, so it was obvious that we are short on referees,” he said.
“But mainly just to give back to the sport that I have been a part of as a player, coach, or parent for more than three decades.
“I did an ACL in my first game back in nearly 20 years earlier this year, signaling the end of my days as a player, so this is a great way to stay in touch with football in Tasmania.”
Mac says he finds refereeing fun but challenging.
“There is so much to learn and it’s all so fast, but it is very rewarding to referee a good game. I think the most rewarding thing is getting a handshake and a thank you from the players after the game.”
The highlight of Mac’s refereeing career so far was when his family came to watch him referee his first game.
“It seemed a bit strange, I’ve never been to a football game to watch the referee before, so that was pretty special for me”, he said.
Mac says there are many reasons people should consider refereeing.
“It’s good fun, keeps me fit, lets me keep in touch with the sport I love, meeting all the people I used to play with and against, and their kids who have also taken up the sport,” he said.
“If you’re a player, then this is a great way to learn the rules. Surprisingly many players have quite a few gaps in their knowledge of the rules of the game.
“For anyone looking to gain a new skill, this would look great on a resume. It’s [also] extremely satisfying to walk off the ground at the end of 90 minutes knowing that you have just allowed two teams to play well and to play fairly – ultimately, that is the role of a referee and what I aspire to achieve.”
For more information on how to become a referee visit: Referee Portal | Football Tasmania (footballfedtas.com.au)