Seb
September 13th, 2006, 10:47 AM
http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/storyview.php?id=817
Women continue to bolster the refereeing ranks
Tuesday 12 September 2006
Elisabeth Speller - from 'soccer mum' to referee
Women play a special and integral part in all sports, including, of course, football. AFL doyen Kevin Sheedy has long spoken of females contribution to the indigenous code and the same is true in the world game.
But while the old days brought visions of mums helping out in canteens or washing the team strips, modern day football sees women playing a broader role than ever before.
While growth in girls playing the game is at all time highs, organisations like Football Federation Victoria continue to welcome women taking on new and varied roles like administration, coaching and refereeing.
Elisabeth Speller is one such individual. Born in Liverpool, England, Speller grew up on a staple diet of football. Her uncle owned a pub in the shadows of Anfield’s famous Kop, planting the seeds of football from a tender age.
Half a world away and decades on, the mother of five got involved in grass roots football nearly in 1997 when her son, Sebastian, joined Sherbrooke Rangers JSC. Her youngest children followed suit and before she knew it, Speller was Secretary of the club.
“With three children playing football I attended many, many games over the years. I served in the canteen, bought, cut and supplied tones of oranges,” says Speller.
Typical of modern day football, Speller took up indoor football in 2003 and now plays with her 22 and 15 year old daughters in the side. The football itch continued for Speller who took up the outdoor game with Monbulk and then Sherbrooke Rangers a year later after a 20 year hiatus.
Despite her and four of her five of her kids playing some version of the game, it would take the autobiography of legendary Italian referee Pierlugi Collina to motivate Speller to pick up the whistle.
“I read the book and was inspired. I did the research, undertook the FFV training in March this year and I’ve graduated through.”
FFV Referees boss, Chris Bambridge, is pleased with Speller’s progress. “It was great to get Elisabeth on board,” he says. “More and more now we are seeing women take up refereeing and we are very happy with the progress of people like Elisabeth.”
Speller is about to be the beneficiary of an FFV-Womens Sport Package (WSP) initiative that will her see remunerated for her training costs, after being singled out for her hard work and progress. Bambridge is pleased to see the scheme expanding. “There is scope for this to happen more and more, in fact we will be rewarding a number of refs across Victoria very soon.”
The WSP is a government funded program provided to FFV, the purpose of the package is to foster environments that encourage and support the full involvement of women and girls from all backgrounds.
The main aim for FFV is to encourage and increase Women’s participation in football as well as increase opportunities for women and girls to participate in leadership and decision making roles.
Thats my mum :) :) :)
Women continue to bolster the refereeing ranks
Tuesday 12 September 2006
Elisabeth Speller - from 'soccer mum' to referee
Women play a special and integral part in all sports, including, of course, football. AFL doyen Kevin Sheedy has long spoken of females contribution to the indigenous code and the same is true in the world game.
But while the old days brought visions of mums helping out in canteens or washing the team strips, modern day football sees women playing a broader role than ever before.
While growth in girls playing the game is at all time highs, organisations like Football Federation Victoria continue to welcome women taking on new and varied roles like administration, coaching and refereeing.
Elisabeth Speller is one such individual. Born in Liverpool, England, Speller grew up on a staple diet of football. Her uncle owned a pub in the shadows of Anfield’s famous Kop, planting the seeds of football from a tender age.
Half a world away and decades on, the mother of five got involved in grass roots football nearly in 1997 when her son, Sebastian, joined Sherbrooke Rangers JSC. Her youngest children followed suit and before she knew it, Speller was Secretary of the club.
“With three children playing football I attended many, many games over the years. I served in the canteen, bought, cut and supplied tones of oranges,” says Speller.
Typical of modern day football, Speller took up indoor football in 2003 and now plays with her 22 and 15 year old daughters in the side. The football itch continued for Speller who took up the outdoor game with Monbulk and then Sherbrooke Rangers a year later after a 20 year hiatus.
Despite her and four of her five of her kids playing some version of the game, it would take the autobiography of legendary Italian referee Pierlugi Collina to motivate Speller to pick up the whistle.
“I read the book and was inspired. I did the research, undertook the FFV training in March this year and I’ve graduated through.”
FFV Referees boss, Chris Bambridge, is pleased with Speller’s progress. “It was great to get Elisabeth on board,” he says. “More and more now we are seeing women take up refereeing and we are very happy with the progress of people like Elisabeth.”
Speller is about to be the beneficiary of an FFV-Womens Sport Package (WSP) initiative that will her see remunerated for her training costs, after being singled out for her hard work and progress. Bambridge is pleased to see the scheme expanding. “There is scope for this to happen more and more, in fact we will be rewarding a number of refs across Victoria very soon.”
The WSP is a government funded program provided to FFV, the purpose of the package is to foster environments that encourage and support the full involvement of women and girls from all backgrounds.
The main aim for FFV is to encourage and increase Women’s participation in football as well as increase opportunities for women and girls to participate in leadership and decision making roles.
Thats my mum :) :) :)