I'm addressing this specifically to ruggers who are women...but the logic holds water irrespective of gender...so if you're a guy, you should referee too :)

 

I'm gonna be blunt ladies.  Anyone who really knows me, knows I'm pretty loath to pull the "gender" card.  I am a referee who happens to be a woman.  But I need to put it right out there, I don't think "we" are "pulling our weight" insofar as women stepping up and getting involved as referees in So Cal.

 

Especially w/ the women's club matches scheduled at 11 am on Saturday's or on Sundays it is an ideal time to start on your next rugby 'career' as a referee and there is no requirement for you to stop playing while you do it.  Frankly, it'll make you a better player and/or coach if that's where your long term interests lie.

 

I started reffing my 2nd season playing, in college, and many weekends I'd play in a women's match and ref a men's match.  I feel like reffing offered additional perspectives and experiences, on and off the pitch, that enriched my playing career, which included territorial and national team representative play.  With the virtual explosion of boys and girls age-grade rugby in addition to the fine slate of collegiate and club sides we have from DIII to Super League, there is always a "right fit" match out there in SoCal.  We are truly blessed in the depth, quality, and geographic density of our rugby peers here

 

Some people have said I 'broke a glass ceiling' or 'opened a door' last year by being the 1st woman to referee a senior men's international event.  Frankly w/o a significant number of young, athletic, and visionary women getting involved, I'm more likely to be the answer to a trivia question than the harbringer of change at a national or international leve.  Fifteen years ago Laurel Lockett was the first woman in this country to make B-1 and the first and only to referee Super League matches...until I did one last April.  I'd be sad to see that much time pass until the next one.

 

I'll be in Las Vegas at a National Panel conference the weekend of this particular training event but I hope to hear that there were so many women who wanted to attend that the society had to schedule another training.

 

As always, if you're thinking about reffing but have some concerns, or if you've started to ref and want to bounce something off of me...then do so...I'm available.

 

Please pass this on to your team mates and alumni....details below.  If you're interested but can't make this particular clinic, let Mark know that too as SCRRS will schedule training to meet the demand.

 

Regards,

Dana T.