A number of Tasmanian referees either have, or soon will be heading across Bass Strait to test themselves on bigger, and national stages.
Four local officials have been trialling in the NPL Victoria Competitions in the month of June, in order to catch the eye of FFA's referees department, who have assessed their performances with an eye to future A-League appointments.
Brenton Kopra and Tony Peart have been assessed on their performances in games as the main referees, whilst Nathan Coad and Thomas Mace have done likewise in the capacity as Assistants, running the line.
Referee Development Manager Tony Peart, who was an AR throughout the 2018/19 A-League season, said whether the process lead to selection on the A-League panel or not, it would be a terrific experience for their development
"The Victorian appointments will boost big game experience, which should help with officiating in the bigger, more volatile games in the future." he said
"As well as gaining valuable learning experience from these games, the chance to test out skills at a higher and faster paced level is something every referee should relish and its a wonderful opportunity."
[caption id="attachment_4654" align="alignnone" width="360"]
Brenton Kopra in an NPL TAS clash[/caption]
Nathan Coad is a young ref on the rise- Solstice Photography[/caption]
Brenton Kopra in an NPL TAS clash[/caption]
Meanwhile the referees who will be representing Tasmania at the various National Youth Championships for 2019 have been announced.
Emma Hall and Claire Green will officiate at the Girls Championships set to take place in Coffs Harbor in July, whilst Monty Piesse and Nathan Coad will head to Coffs in September for the Boys Championships. In addition to the Youth Championships, three more of the best up and coming young match officials will gain valuable experience at the upcoming Kanga Cup in Canberra. Matthew Westwood, Jacob Ball and Oscar Desmond will be Tasmania's representatives at the event, which is the largest International Youth Football Tournament in the Southern Hemisphere. Peart praised the young officials for their selections and said the sky was the limit for them. "Everyone who has been picked for these National Competitions has earned it through performance on the field and their dedication off of it. "We have a number of extremely promising young refereeing prospects who I have no doubt have what it takes to officiate at the highest levels if they can continue to develop at their current trajectory." [caption id="attachment_4652" align="alignnone" width="360"] Nathan Coad is a young ref on the rise- Solstice Photography[/caption]