Toowoomba Grammar School (TGS) has enjoyed strong success this season, not only through its on-field performances but also via the expansion of its growing Match Officials development program.
Earlier this year, TGS Head of Football Nigel Fanning joined forces with Football Queensland to deliver a referee course on campus. The initiative aimed to create pathways for aspiring referees not only from within TGS but across the broader Darling Downs region.
“As the Head of Football, I want our boys to be connected to the game in every way possible, including providing an opportunity to become referees,” Fanning said.
The course saw a number of TGS students, along with participants from the wider community, take up officiating roles in Football Queensland’s Darling Downs Junior competitions. Many also gained practical experience by refereeing matches in the GPS system. For students, the experience serves as a valuable introduction to the workforce, offering them an opportunity to develop new skills in a setting that requires discipline and responsibility.
As a result of their contributions, TGS was able to achieve near-total match coverage this season, assigning a centre referee and two assistant referees across 33 school teams at various year levels.
“We need to ensure we have young referees who have a chance to learn the game in a less competitive environment,” Fanning said.
“It is critical that our games have qualified officials, which are always difficult to find, so we are glad to provide a safe entry for students into the referee universe.
“Many TGS games are now refereed by our own students and more importantly, we have provided Football Queensland with a group of referees to meet their growing demand.”
Building on this success, TGS hosted a second FQ Referee Course during the school holidays, again opening the door for students and community members to gain the knowledge and certification required to become referees. The timing, at the close of the GPS season, allowed new referees to immediately gain hands-on experience during the remainder of the community football calendar.
“The school will clearly need to run courses such as this every year to keep the pipeline flowing. My aim is to ensure we support Football Queensland by providing the entry route for aspiring Match Officials into the referee pathway,” Fanning said.
“It’s imperative that we all work together to ensure our school and community fixtures have qualified referees who are up to date with the Laws of the Game. Helping students to access this course in their own school setting seems to make it less confronting and it has certainly been a success.”
Football Queensland has commended TGS for its forward-thinking approach, describing it as a strong example of how schools can actively support referee development.
“We’re thrilled with the impact Toowoomba Grammar School has had in growing the next generation of referees,” said Brad Burton, Manager – Officials Strategy at Football Queensland.
“Their commitment to not only running referee courses, but also providing real match experience in a supportive environment, shows how schools can play a pivotal role in strengthening the referee pathway, setting a fantastic blueprint for schools and clubs to follow throughout the state.”
The TGS program showcases the real-world impact of embedding Football Queensland’s referee training within a school environment, giving students a meaningful way to stay involved in football while helping to meet the rising need for qualified Match Officials across Queensland.
