Who'd be a referee?
On Tuesday, the GAA unveiled a major Referee Development Plan designed to maximise the recruitment of match officials.
The plan focuses on a number of refereeing areas; specifically, recruitment and retention, development, mentoring and advising, fitness and welfare, governance and administration.
Speaking at the unveiling in Croke Park, National Match Officials manager Patrick Doherty told RTÉ Sport's Brian Carthy that the drive to get more referees must eliminate any sense of fear around the increased pressure that comes with the role.
"One of the biggest problems facing the GAA is actual recruitment of referees and the many challenges they face," he said.
"But we do need to get more referees involved and we are going to work very strongly this winter at recruiting referees.
"We need to get more in and need them not to be afraid of what's out there for them. We will also be looking towards the referees at the top level that they can aspire to."
Doherty also points out the importance of support for fledgling refs.
GAA President John Horan has today unveiled a major Referee Development Plan designed to maximise the recruitment and retention of match officials.
— The GAA (@officialgaa) October 16, 2018
"Referees qualify as referees in the early part of the year and sort of speak are left to paddle their own canoe to a very fair extent after that," he added.
"How we can get that referee through that critical first year?
"We think that can happen by having a mentor side by side with him. That mentor could be an experienced referee within the county who might be allocated three or four of these younger referees and be there as a sounding board for them."
As we all know, it's the man or woman in the middle who incurs the most wrath if a player or a supporter feels aggrieved at a particular decision.
Doherty recalled an incident during a match: "A red card was brandished and the player said to the ref 'you can't send me off, I'm after training all year for this'. The referee replied: 'so have I'.
This snapshot underlines the fact that referees, like players and officials, also give much time in serving the Association.
Doherty continued: "The GAA is a community organisation and we are all deeply involved in our communities and when something goes wrong against your team you will tend to look for a scapegoat. Sometimes the handy one is the referee.
"It's a pastime. Your family and work has to come before this. A referee also has to get up for work on Monday morning. We are all volunteers.
"There are rules in the book for those who choose to abuse referees but refs need to be a little bit stronger in the reporting of such unsavoury incidents."
