The “want the best seat in the house?” campaign - built around the success stories of officials such as Mike Hester, Andrew Caie and Katie Goulding – will look to grow the number of active referees across all levels in game in the Auckland Federation as a key part of the code’s overall development strategy.

The recruitment drive centres on promoting the benefits of becoming a referee, initially at the entry level – the Club Based Referee, and then, via the personal experiences of Hester, Caie and Goulding, highlighting the pathway available for those wanting to progress their officiating towards the highest level.

Auckland Football Federation Referees chairman Stephen Budai, a former NZFC official currently active in the Lotto NRFL competition, believes the campaign is a good fit for the group of referees his organisation are wanting to expand – the younger Club Based and Level 1 officials.

“What better way to show off what’s on offer as an official in our game than showcasing some of the tremendous stories of a number of people who began their refereeing careers at the same level we’re looking to get more people involved,” said Budai.

“A key part of that expansion will be recruiting and retaining men and women off all ages to our ranks and anyone can see from the paths taken by Mike, Andrew and Katie, if they pick up a whistle, they could one day be refereeing at the highest levels of the game.”

Hester’s story in particular is one of the features of the recruitment push. The Auckland Football Federation referee began officiating as a Club Based Referee in 2001 and progressed through the levels to become a FIFA official who took charge of matches at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the recently completed 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa.

Via the Auckland Football Federation, clubs and other associated organisations will receive a distribution of flyers and posters advertising the campaign and the promotion will also feature on the federation’s internet home – www.aucklandfootball.org.nz.

Auckland Football Federation CEO David Parker, also an active Level 1 referee, says the recruitment drive comes at a vital time for the sport.

“With the numbers of players and teams growing in our federation on a yearly basis, the referees group must also keep pace with that growth so we can continue to provide the best possible playing experience for the thousands of people involved in the game in our region,” said Parker.

“This campaign will show people and parents involved in the game that, in addition to helping their children enjoy the game at grassroots level via the Club Based Referee programme, there are also highly accessible career pathways available to referees providing a direct line to the highest level of football.”

For more information on becoming a referee, please contact Auckland Football Federation Referee Development Officer Paul Smith / ph 09 579 0705 ex 8.

Click here for the campaign flyer (PDF).

Click here for the campaign poster (PDF).