(Jamaica Gleaner) FIFA REFEREE instructor Peter Prendergast says although the launch of the Concacaf Refereeing Centre of Excellence was implemented ahead of schedule, he anticipates that the online programme will continue to aid the region’s officials in their education and growth.
The former FIFA referee said that the programme is still early in its development, but was started ahead of schedule because of the coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions on human gathering and travel which resulted.
But he expects local referees, including all FIFA and Concacaf-ranked officials, to use the medium to enhance their officiating skills.
“We would have special courses for the different peers, but in lieu of the COVID (-19), we aren’t able to do that, so we created the same type of atmosphere on the online platform to continue learning and have discussions to keep the mind occupied and engaged,” Prendergast said.
Prendergast, who will assist head instructor American Brian Hall in the bi-weekly online conference, said that they will do video tests, tests on knowledge of the laws of the game, and have general and specific topics of discussions.
“We will interact through Zoom, and every other week there is a meeting with the top-tier referees in Concacaf, between 60-70 referees,” he said.
Concacaf is the second confederation to start the programme – UEFA being the first – and Prendergast says it will help the officials to manage games and assess unclear situations much better than before.
“They will be better able to problem-solve and see situations,” he said. “We will watch a lot of clips from around Concacaf and the world, and look at red cards, yellow cards, and that sort of thing, and assess and quiz.
“So we keep them engaged, instead of doing nothing, and the major benefit is engagement of the mind and continued learning,” he said.