Lewis leads the way with brilliant referee support initiative.
Lewis has introduced red and yellow armbands as well as flyers to help others understand the impact his disability has when refereeing.
Just like players, coaches and spectators, some of our referees have a disability. We were contacted by 15 year old Lewis, one of our fully qualified referees, who had some ideas about improving his experience on match day.
Imagine being a new referee with a disability. You recognise that a free kick needs to be given, but whilst taking an extra second or two to process this and make your decision, spectators start shouting at you. This leads to confusion and will likely result in no decision being made at all.
Lewis – and hopefully others soon – will be wearing red and yellow armbands to highlight the fact he has a disability. A parent/carer or mentor will also wear an armband and stand with the spectators at matches. They are Lewis’ support mechanism on the day. A flyer (see below) will be handed out to everyone in attendance.
Worcestershire FA is delighted that Lewis has led the idea, supported by his parents Wayne and Juliet alongside one of our mentors, Nick Huxley.
To date, the Clubs that Lewis has visited have been incredibly supportive and we extend our continued thanks to everyone involved with this initiative so far. Look out for Lewis on a pitch near you!