It’s not just players and clubs that are put through their paces during the last month before the start of the season.

NSWFRA referees who will be officiating in the Football NSW Futsal Premier and Super Leagues have a big month ahead of them for September as well, with compulsory fitness testing, seminars, the commencement of fortnightly training and the odd trial game too.

For season 2009/10, the NSWFRA will publish a list of up to 50 referees who will make up the NSWFRA Advanced Referees Panel. Of these referees, 22 will make up the Select and Supplementary 1 Groups, all of which will be required to pass fitness testing twice throughout the season and attend 3 physical and technical training sessions each month.

With Advanced Referees Panel nominations scheduled to close on the 4th September, pre-season fitness tests are scheduled for the 10th, 13th and 15th of September across the Sydney metropolitan area.

The pre-season program culminates with the Advanced Referees Panel seminar on the 18th September where referees will be issued with information and directives for the new season and the first physical training session on the 29th September.

Expected areas of focus for NSWFRA referees are disciplinary standards across all age divisions, the correct use of away and goalkeeper jerseys, violent conduct and serious foul play.

NSWFRA President Gavin Lee said that he was looking forward to yet another step up in standards of refereeing and professionalism for the coming season.

“Once again, we’ve raised the bar a little higher for our referees and I expect, like last year, our referees will rise to the challenge, resulting in even better officiating”, Lee said.