Referee Development

Being a referee is a dynamic role so continued education is essential to success!

On this page of the Society's website you can find details for refereeing development items.

Available On-Line Resources

Self-study is the most readily accessible way to improve as a referee. Watching high level matches and observing where and how referees interact with the game can give a great starting point, but contextual law application analysis tends to do even more for improving performance. The following list is not exhaustive and many more resources are available when conducting simple Google/YouTube searches for rugby referee material.

Grading and Promotion Policy

The New England Rugby Referees Society (NERRS) is committed to providing high-quality refereeing services to the rugby community. This grading policy is designed to ensure that referees are evaluated fairly and consistently, and that timely grading decisions accurately reflect current referee levels.

Eligibility

To be eligible for grading by NERRS, a referee must:

Be a member of NERRS.
Have been an active referee as defined as five (5) or more matches officiated within NERRS’ area during the current or previous season
Have received at least two coaching reports within the past 12 months.

Grading Criteria

NERRS will utilize USA Rugby guidelines when determining the appropriate grade of a referee. As these Guidelines frequently are updated, the Development Officer will hold the most up to date guidelines. These guidelines will be shared with any member upon request.

Materials Considered

The Development Committee will consider the following criteria when evaluating a referee:

Coaching reports written by USA Rugby accredited, or equivalent, Coaches of Match Officials
Reports and notes made by Development Committee members
Video performance of the referee
Feedback or evaluation material submitted to NERRS
Fitness level or fitness test scores

Grading Process

The Development Committee will meet no fewer than four (4) times per year to review referee performance. The committee will make recommendations for promotion or regrading based on the criteria listed above. Additional meetings may be scheduled as the need arises.

Grading Committee

The Development Committee shall consist of the following members:

Development Officer
Director of Appointments
Assigner of relevant area for the referee in question

The Development Committee strongly encourages, but does not require, the involvement of:

Referee Coach Coordinator

Other Executive Board members, as appointed by and including the President, may also be involved in the Committee. A minimum of three (3) must be present to form a valid Development Committee.

Promotion Announcements

Promotions will be announced no less than once a year at public meetings. Examples may include, but are not limited to, New England Rugby Referees’ Annual General Meeting (AGM) or Awards Night at the New England Rugby Football Union Cup Tournament.

Appeals

A referee who wishes to contest their grading may appeal the decision to the NERRS Development Committee by emailing the Development Officer. The Executive Board will review the appeal and has full discretion to make a final decision.

Limitations

NERRS has authority to promote Referees up to and including grade 6 (formerly C1). All promotions to grades better than 6 must come from organizations with the appropriate authority.

NERRS Discretion

NERRS has full discretion to change or maintain a referee’s grade. This policy document does not guarantee that a referee will be awarded a grade promotion. This document provides clarity into the decision making process. By understanding the criteria that will be used to evaluate grades, referees can better position themselves to be successful.

Effective Date

This policy is dated August 1st, 2023 and will take effect immediately.

Changes to the Policy

This policy may be amended by the NERRS Executive Board at any time.

Inquiries

If you have any questions about this policy, definitions, or procedures, please contact the Development Officer.

Funding Requests for Development Opportunities

The New England Rugby Referees Society (NERRS) is committed to providing its referees with the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge. This policy outlines the criteria and procedures that will be used to consider referees for various development opportunities, including referee camps, clinics, tournament attendance and coaching opportunities.

Criteria

To be considered for a development opportunity, referees must meet the following criteria:

Have a minimum of two (2) years experience officiating in New England.
Have refereed and/or coached a minimum of five (5) matches or tournaments in New England in the current or previous season.
Demonstrate willingness to learn and improve.
Be willing to leverage this experience for public communication to be used at the sole discretion of NERRS.

The opportunity for which funding is being requested must be deemed suitable for the referee in consideration and the development opportunity to be valuable to the New England rugby community.

Required Information

Requests for funding must be submitted via email to the NERRS Referee Development Officer. The request must include the following information:

Date, location, and hosting club, society or person.
Dollar amount requested.
Intended use of funds (such as mileage, flights, hotels, etc).

Any other relevant information that may be helpful to the decision-making process.

Procedure

Referees who meet the criteria will be considered for development opportunities on a case-by-case basis. All applications must be emailed to the Development Officer no less than 30 days prior to the event. The NERRS Development Officer will review applications and approve, amend, or deny requests that comply with the Limits of Coverage defined below. The Executive Board will make the final decision on who will be selected for development opportunities.

Limits of Coverage

NERRS will consider covering the costs of development opportunities that are directly related to refereeing. Funding is considered for items including, but not limited to, cost of travel, accommodation, and course fees. Coverage is capped at a rate of $35 per match covered for NERRS within a 12-month period preceding the request. For example, if a referee officiates 10 matches for NERRS within the previous 12 months, the referee could be limited to no more than $350 per request.

Larger Requests

Requests for funding that exceed the parameters above will require Executive Board approval. We encourage applicants to submit their requests to the Development Officer for review.

Exceptions

All applications submitted to the Development Officer will be reviewed and considered. A referee does not need to meet all items described within the Criteria section of this document. Any application that includes exceptions will require Executive Board approval and may take longer to be reviewed as a result.

Appeals

Referees who are not selected for funding for a development opportunity may appeal the decision to the NERRS Executive Board. Appeals must be emailed to the President within 14 days of the notification of the decision. The Executive Board will review the appeal and have full discretion to make a final decision.

NERRS Discretion

NERRS has full discretion to approve or deny any referee's request for funding. This policy document does not guarantee that a referee will be awarded funding. This document provides clarity into the decision making process. By understanding the criteria that will be used to evaluate proposals, referees can better position themselves to be successful.

Effective Date

This policy is dated dated August 1st, 2023 and will take effect immediately.

Changes to the Policy

This policy may be amended by the NERRS Executive Board at any time.