GFA creates, adopts new GFA Referee Regulations

[August 23, 2021 – Harmon, Guam] In a move toward more streamlined and professional operations to support Guam’s referees, Guam Football Association adopted its new GFA Referee Regulations, signed as an official document Aug. 21.

The creation of the GFA Referee Regulations is in line with FIFA’s Referee Regulations, and part of a larger planned project under UEFA’s Assist program and AFC to further raise the level of officiating in Guam. The GFA Executive Committee approved the final version of the document Aug. 16 and GFA President Valentino San Gil, GFA Referees Committee Chairman Joe Roberto, and GFA General Secretary Marvin “Ike” Iseke signed the document with immediate effect.

“The main objective of the GFA Referee Regulations is to help improve the GFA Referees Department and the refereeing community as a whole,” said Kyle Legozzie, GFA Referee Development Officer and main curator of the document. “I believe it will assist GFA and the GFA Referees Department by providing structure through direction and focus from a definitive framework with set goals and objectives within the main areas of education and development, technical and practical training, and recruitment and retention, as well as fitness.

“Both UEFA and AFC reviewed the Regulations and are pleased with what we have created. Having grown up with this program, I am genuinely excited to have something like this for GFA and its Referee Department, and to see where it goes,” added Legozzie.

GFA Referees Committee Chairman Joe Roberto, left, is the first to sign the GFA Referees Regulations document during a signing event Saturday at the GFA National Training Center Saturday morning as GFA General Secretary, Marvin “Ike” Iseke (center), and GFA President Valentino San Gil (right) look on. Iseke and San Gil also signed the document, now official and with immediate effect. The creation of the GFA Referees Regulations is the first of three objectives to streamline and professionalize operations to support Guam’s referees made possible by a grant from the UEFA Assist program and AFC and mentorship from former FIFA referee from Portugal, Vitor Melo Pereira, who officiated at the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and 2002.

The 40-page document includes sections on the structure and duties of the GFA Referees Committee and the GFA Referees Department, Rights and Duties of Match Officials, Referee Licenses and Categories, and Examinations for Referees, Referee Assessors, and Referee Instructors, among other areas. The document, as well as other official documents, are available for viewing online at https://guamfa.com/contact-us/finance-and-governance/official-documents/

The GFA Referees Committee includes Chairman Joe Roberto, Deputy Chairman George Stewart, and three members: Rhoda Bamba, Eladio Manansala, and Cara Walsh. The GFA Referees Department includes Stewart as Director of Referees, Legozzie as Referee Development Officer, Referees Technical Instructor James Oh, Referees Fitness Instructor Eladio Manansala, and Referees Administrator Erlissa Delfin.

The creation of GFA Referee Regulations is the first of three main objectives to complete supported by a grant from UEFA’s Assist program under its Capacity Building pillar. The next two objectives are a Referee National Education Plan, and Referee National Training and Development Program.

“We are working on updating course material utilizing platforms from FIFA and AFC,” Legozzie said. “FIFA just came out with a new platform which I am excited about that should help streamline how referees are taught.”

Additionally, Legozzie plans to begin referee fitness sessions by Aug. 30 at least once or twice a week at GFA as part of the final objective under the UEFA Assist grant.

“We will aim to have general fitness as the focus to get back and prepare for the leagues to begin,” Legozzie said. “It will be the first permanent, structured fitness program for the Referee Department with the intention to expand with comprehensive plans and practical training for more elite referees who may one day represent Guam as FIFA referees. These are huge projects that will take a lot of time, but when done, the program in itself will have almost entirely evolved.”

SMART plans have been devised for each objective and a former FIFA referee from Portugal, Vitor Melo Pereira, has been paired with GFA as a mentor for six months. Pereira will assist GFA’s Referees Department in realizing the objectives. Pereira officiated in both the 1998 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Upcoming referee courses at GFA include a Refresher Course for youth referees Aug. 25 and Sept. 1, as well as a Refresher Course for adult league referees on Sept. 22 and Sept. 29.

For more information about GFA’s Referee Program and upcoming opportunities to become referees in GFA’s leagues, contact the GFA Referees Department through E-mail at [email protected]