James Williams - (His Story)
Jim from fat to thin (ish)
I started my refereeing life at the age of 21. I took my course at Cwmbran Town AFC under the instruction of Ian Greaney, I played football throughout my teenage years playing for various clubs from Newport and District level to Gwent County for Albion Rovers. I considered myself a decent player but became frustrated with the lack of referees at the lower levels. I stopped playing football and started to play rugby, I quickly realised my limitations of a rugby player when I didn’t really like being tackled or tackling. The one thing I did enjoy was the amount of respect the referee received. After a shoulder injury ended my playing career I had a few options, go back to playing football, stay at home with the missus and end up doing continuous trips to a un-named Swedish furniture outlet or refereeing. I thought about taking up rugby refereeing initially but went against it because I didn’t really understand the laws of the game when I played it. I went for football refereeing because of a friend recommended it to me who was a Welsh League assistant referee.
After I passed my course it was a long time before I had my first set for fixtures because of the summer break, I remember it was the most excited I had been in ages I kept calling my house to check with my mum and dad if they had been received. On the day of receipt my Dad told me that my first game was between Gear Park Ranger and Ty-Sign to be played at Fearn Lea Park in Risca. It was a Wednesday evening I arrived at the ground about an hour and half before kick off. Nobody else was at the ground, I ended up in doing the most fulfilled pitch inspection in referee history. About half hour before kick off the teams arrived, I had convinced myself that I had gone to the wrong ground, but thankfully I had managed to get the right place. The teams promptly got changed, I was then quizzed by one of the players as he had not seen me before, I told a story of how I have transferred from England and it was my third season of officiating. The game went by without any major issue and most importantly no cautions.
I was hooked, it took me until 3-4 in the morning before I could sleep, I enjoyed the game and being part of it. I enjoyed the banter with the players, before, after and during the game. It was immense. It did however take me four games to issue my first card and about two months before I got the chance to give my first penalty.
I came home from work one day and notice I had a voicemail of some bloke inviting me to be part of some scheme, it was a first in Wales. Little did I know that was one of the most important calls I was to receive in my early career. I returned the call promptly and accepted his invitation. It was a few weeks until I receive any further details and turned up ready and willing to the Gol football centre down Lliswerry with 9 other keen guys. Our development grounp officer was Darren Adie, he quickly told us that 70% of refereeing was fitness. At this point I was just under 18 stone in weight and was feeling very sheepish. I knew then that I needed to get into shape, but didn’t really know how to do it. I was fortunate enough to be appointed to some very good games in my first season, one of the more memorable games was with Darren and Oliver Cross for a Cardiff City academy game at Leckwith Stadium. I was once again put in my place with fitness as after the first warm up lap round the field I was suffering, Darren and Oliver hadn’t even broke into a sweat. My biggest low was the development group fitness test at the end of my first season, it was the twelve minute cooper run. I failed, I came one from last out of all the development group. But still I didn’t know how to rectify the situation or have the will to do it.
In the January of my second season, I had become really fed up of people commenting about my weight and lack of fitness, in my assessments that have been received from Gwent County Assessors and also from Ray Ellingham (UEFA referee’s observer) my weight was brought up. Once again I realised I needed to do something about it. Darren had been asking the development group members to start sending weekly emails stating games done, good and bad points about the game; training done and what we have planned for the week ahead. I started to read up on the various training programmes I could do, I also spoke to my girlfriend Sarah about being on a diet. With the help and support of Sarah and Darren I managed to lose two and a half stone by the end of the season and it all paid off with my promotion from level 8 to 7.
I have been very fortunate since my promotion to level 7 and have received back to back promotions and most recently my hardest year. My first year being assessed by FAW assessors (The Big Leagues). I was assessed five times in the season by ex-football league officials, former FIFA officials. This was my hardest season so far, I had to be at my best in every game, I didn’t know who I was being assessed by, or on what date. It was un-nerving on occasions but made sure I was giving it my all in every game. During the season I had several high profile appointments, including my first International between Wales and Belgium at Jenner Park. Also, the academy finals in Newtown. However, my biggest appointment to date is the FAW Youth Cup Final between Swansea City and West End at the Liberty Stadium, it gave me and idea of what it would be like to referee at the top, at a pristine Liberty Stadium in front of a crowd.
It was a now a waiting game too see if I had been promoted… after the season had came to a close I had an idea that I was in with a chance of being promoted to the Welsh League Referees list, but nothing was certain until a letter or and email had been received.
It was Friday night around midnight and I checked my emails before going up to bed. In my inbox was an email from Rodger Gifford (Referees Manager for Wales). I tentatively opened the mail and opened the attachment, I jumped off the sofa in celebration and almost woke the entire street up. I quickly responded to the email thanking him for the invitation onto the Welsh Premier League Assistants List and also the Welsh League Referees list. I then emailed Darren to tell him the good news, by one in the morning I received an email from Darren congratulating me and telling me that I now needed to work hard on passing the fitness test in June.
That night I started to write out a training plan to prepare myself for the fitness test. I had trained the hardest that I have done so and managed to get my weight down to 13 stone 8 lbs and my body fat below the 20% requirement. On the day of the fitness test myself, Mark Gardiner and Darren Adie travelled up to Newtown where the National Fitness Test was held. I promised myself that I would run until I had thrown up or passed either way I wasn’t going to stop. After our body fat was taken it was down to the YoYo Test, the three East Gwent Members were all in the same heat along with five other referees. It became hard when some of the guys started to drop out around level sixteen. At level seventeen (the pass mark); only three remained me, Darren and Mark. I kept going until level 17.7 which was a very good achievement as I was the only one left. I was now a Welsh League Referee and a Welsh Premier Assistant Referee.
Now to what is ahead of me. I have a season of more hard work, I have new goals and a whole new world of officiating is ahead of me.
I get asked the question a lot; why would you put yourself in the firing line to become a referee? My simple answer is why not? I have been part of some amazing games, met some incredible people including Howard Webb and Mark Halsey. I get to see my own personal progression in the various levels I have achieved and I still want more.
Advice, be prepared to be self critical, help is only a phone call away and don’t get fit by refereeing, get fit to referee.
Jim from fat to thin (ish)
I started my refereeing life at the age of 21. I took my course at Cwmbran Town AFC under the instruction of Ian Greaney, I played football throughout my teenage years playing for various clubs from Newport and District level to Gwent County for Albion Rovers. I considered myself a decent player but became frustrated with the lack of referees at the lower levels. I stopped playing football and started to play rugby, I quickly realised my limitations of a rugby player when I didn’t really like being tackled or tackling. The one thing I did enjoy was the amount of respect the referee received. After a shoulder injury ended my playing career I had a few options, go back to playing football, stay at home with the missus and end up doing continuous trips to a un-named Swedish furniture outlet or refereeing. I thought about taking up rugby refereeing initially but went against it because I didn’t really understand the laws of the game when I played it. I went for football refereeing because of a friend recommended it to me who was a Welsh League assistant referee.
After I passed my course it was a long time before I had my first set for fixtures because of the summer break, I remember it was the most excited I had been in ages I kept calling my house to check with my mum and dad if they had been received. On the day of receipt my Dad told me that my first game was between Gear Park Ranger and Ty-Sign to be played at Fearn Lea Park in Risca. It was a Wednesday evening I arrived at the ground about an hour and half before kick off. Nobody else was at the ground, I ended up in doing the most fulfilled pitch inspection in referee history. About half hour before kick off the teams arrived, I had convinced myself that I had gone to the wrong ground, but thankfully I had managed to get the right place. The teams promptly got changed, I was then quizzed by one of the players as he had not seen me before, I told a story of how I have transferred from England and it was my third season of officiating. The game went by without any major issue and most importantly no cautions.
I was hooked, it took me until 3-4 in the morning before I could sleep, I enjoyed the game and being part of it. I enjoyed the banter with the players, before, after and during the game. It was immense. It did however take me four games to issue my first card and about two months before I got the chance to give my first penalty.
I came home from work one day and notice I had a voicemail of some bloke inviting me to be part of some scheme, it was a first in Wales. Little did I know that was one of the most important calls I was to receive in my early career. I returned the call promptly and accepted his invitation. It was a few weeks until I receive any further details and turned up ready and willing to the Gol football centre down Lliswerry with 9 other keen guys. Our development grounp officer was Darren Adie, he quickly told us that 70% of refereeing was fitness. At this point I was just under 18 stone in weight and was feeling very sheepish. I knew then that I needed to get into shape, but didn’t really know how to do it. I was fortunate enough to be appointed to some very good games in my first season, one of the more memorable games was with Darren and Oliver Cross for a Cardiff City academy game at Leckwith Stadium. I was once again put in my place with fitness as after the first warm up lap round the field I was suffering, Darren and Oliver hadn’t even broke into a sweat. My biggest low was the development group fitness test at the end of my first season, it was the twelve minute cooper run. I failed, I came one from last out of all the development group. But still I didn’t know how to rectify the situation or have the will to do it.
In the January of my second season, I had become really fed up of people commenting about my weight and lack of fitness, in my assessments that have been received from Gwent County Assessors and also from Ray Ellingham (UEFA referee’s observer) my weight was brought up. Once again I realised I needed to do something about it. Darren had been asking the development group members to start sending weekly emails stating games done, good and bad points about the game; training done and what we have planned for the week ahead. I started to read up on the various training programmes I could do, I also spoke to my girlfriend Sarah about being on a diet. With the help and support of Sarah and Darren I managed to lose two and a half stone by the end of the season and it all paid off with my promotion from level 8 to 7.
I have been very fortunate since my promotion to level 7 and have received back to back promotions and most recently my hardest year. My first year being assessed by FAW assessors (The Big Leagues). I was assessed five times in the season by ex-football league officials, former FIFA officials. This was my hardest season so far, I had to be at my best in every game, I didn’t know who I was being assessed by, or on what date. It was un-nerving on occasions but made sure I was giving it my all in every game. During the season I had several high profile appointments, including my first International between Wales and Belgium at Jenner Park. Also, the academy finals in Newtown. However, my biggest appointment to date is the FAW Youth Cup Final between Swansea City and West End at the Liberty Stadium, it gave me and idea of what it would be like to referee at the top, at a pristine Liberty Stadium in front of a crowd.
It was a now a waiting game too see if I had been promoted… after the season had came to a close I had an idea that I was in with a chance of being promoted to the Welsh League Referees list, but nothing was certain until a letter or and email had been received.
It was Friday night around midnight and I checked my emails before going up to bed. In my inbox was an email from Rodger Gifford (Referees Manager for Wales). I tentatively opened the mail and opened the attachment, I jumped off the sofa in celebration and almost woke the entire street up. I quickly responded to the email thanking him for the invitation onto the Welsh Premier League Assistants List and also the Welsh League Referees list. I then emailed Darren to tell him the good news, by one in the morning I received an email from Darren congratulating me and telling me that I now needed to work hard on passing the fitness test in June.
That night I started to write out a training plan to prepare myself for the fitness test. I had trained the hardest that I have done so and managed to get my weight down to 13 stone 8 lbs and my body fat below the 20% requirement. On the day of the fitness test myself, Mark Gardiner and Darren Adie travelled up to Newtown where the National Fitness Test was held. I promised myself that I would run until I had thrown up or passed either way I wasn’t going to stop. After our body fat was taken it was down to the YoYo Test, the three East Gwent Members were all in the same heat along with five other referees. It became hard when some of the guys started to drop out around level sixteen. At level seventeen (the pass mark); only three remained me, Darren and Mark. I kept going until level 17.7 which was a very good achievement as I was the only one left. I was now a Welsh League Referee and a Welsh Premier Assistant Referee.
Now to what is ahead of me. I have a season of more hard work, I have new goals and a whole new world of officiating is ahead of me.
I get asked the question a lot; why would you put yourself in the firing line to become a referee? My simple answer is why not? I have been part of some amazing games, met some incredible people including Howard Webb and Mark Halsey. I get to see my own personal progression in the various levels I have achieved and I still want more.
Advice, be prepared to be self critical, help is only a phone call away and don’t get fit by refereeing, get fit to referee.