Issue link: http://digitaleditions.uberflip.com/i/1473445
FEATURE www.ladiesgaelic.ie | SUMMER 2022 | 47 I fell in love with refereeing when I was a linesperson for Ulster, I instantly wanted to be the person in the middle. This was four years ago and although I started later in my life, I wish I knew earlier how fantastic it is to be a referee. Most people think that to be a referee you must be mad, as the majority of people would never dream of becoming one. You don't, you need to be level-headed and take criticism in a constructive way. Driving to a strange pitch for clubs you don't know and walking into the middle of the pitch takes a lot of nerve to begin with, my advice is to have a strong team of people around you. If you are lucky enough when starting, have at least two good umpires. Ask for honest critique and use that to your advantage for the future. I have been a referee for four years now and there is no feeling in the world greater than standing in the middle of the pitch, knowing you are assisting two teams play a game we all have grown to love. My greatest love is when I see underage teams grow from mistakes they make, the rules being implemented in an educational way and them learning as they play. I see the future in front of my eyes, and it is an overwhelming feeling of pride. My journey is possible because I was brave enough to step out of my comfort zone and give it a go. I was attending County meetings and they were always asking did clubs have any referees at that time, I was coaching and never thought I would referee. Then it was suggested would I give it a go, I had great guidance from my club and county board who offered me guidance and direction in becoming a referee. My first step was to do the Grab Your Whistle Go game course, I then started to go to matches, talking to committee members, learning from training courses and webinars. The LGFA YouTube channel is brilliant for any referee starting out, with so many tips and advice. The moment I officiated my first under 10 Go Games match, I was hooked, I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it. I decided that day that I was going to see where being a referee would take me. That was four years ago and since then I am a qualified adult referee and have developed and learned so much during my journey on and off the pitch. The personal growth has been amazing and I was involved with the first "Learn to Lead" course with LGFA. This gave me not only a platform to promote female officials, but a way in which I have learned from others before me. I feel as if I have fast-tracked my refereeing because I fell in love with it straight away and have done so many games. I can't seem to get enough! I'm on track to beat 120 games last year! This is not for everyone! It is difficult, there are days when you get abuse, but you need to have a way to deal with it emotionally. I have my co-referees who we can vent to or phone when there is a need to discuss an incident but, to be honest, by the time the whistle is blown for the next match, the joy is back and another learning lesson is underway. If you'd like to follow my journey, you can follow me on twitter "Grainne Gaelic Referee" @refereeLGFA. I would urge anyone to give it a go, be brave and still into the middle of my career, there is no other feeling like it. If you are interested in becoming a referee, there are Grab Your Whistle courses available in your County. Have a look at the referee pathway! Grainne Sands REFEREE My Journey as a Referee with Grainne Sands, County Down www.ladiesgaelic.ie | SUMMER 2022 | 47