The Bermuda Football Association is partnering with Fifa to offer a beginners referee course next week in a bid to attract new officials to the sport.

The course will take place from April 22 to 24 from 6pm to 9pm and on April 25 from 9am to 4pm, at CedarBridge and the BFA field.

There is no charge to participate, and there will be classroom sessions as well as practical sessions.

The purpose of this course is to offer training to those individuals who wish to become a referee.

Participants will learn the laws of the game, including the offside rule, fouls and misconduct, match management, referee techniques, report writing, and fitness techniques.

“It is our desire to lower the average age of Bermuda’s referees and increase our referee pool,” Crenstant Williams, BFA executive member and chairman of referees, said.

“In order to accomplish this we are reaching out to the next generation of referees. Anyone between the ages of 16-35 is an ideal candidate. Having more people learn the laws of the game can only help to enhance and improve football here on the island.”

Williams added: “We believe that a combination of experienced referees and new younger referees will serve Bermudian football well.

“Having a strong core of referees will hopefully allow us to send representatives to upcoming tournaments, like the Concacaf Under-15 Youth Championships, CFU Tournaments, Under-17/Under-20 World Cup matches, and, ultimately, the Fifa World Cup. ”

All successful participants will receive a BFA Fifa certificate and basic referee equipment.

Being a referee in Bermuda is not only a weekend activity, but also a viable option for those looking for an additional source of income. BFA guidelines state that new referees earn $35 per match, with top-level referees earning $80 for each match they officiate.

Anyone interested can call the BFA at 295-2199 or e-mail bfa@bermudafootball.com.

Space is limited and the sign-up deadline is at noon next Tuesday.