The programme is being crafted by Level 6 referee and recent World Cup official, Lachlan Carey, alongside the TTRA's Vice-President and Junior Competitions Coordinator, Denise Weier. Both have a wealth of touch football experience on-and-off the field, and are determined to run the programme to best prepare referees as they take their next steps in their referee careers.
The comprehensive development programme will be integrated into the existing framework of the already succesful Townsville Saints Representative Programme, and will offer an array of mentoring and training resources that caters to referees at different stages of their career.
To maintain flexibility, particularly for younger referees, programme entry will be via two tiers. Tier 1 is tailored for referees aiming to officiate at prestigious events like the 2025 NQ Junior State Cup North (JSCN) in Townsville AND the 2025 QLD Junior State Cup (QJSC) in Rockhampton. Meanwhile, Tier 2 is designed for "fringe players" who wish to play at the JSCN but referee at the QJSC.
Each tier is structured to provide targeted coaching and developmental strategies to help referees excel. The dual tier system ensures flexibility and meets the unique needs of the younger referees who balance their playing and officiating roles.
Registration for the new referee programme is now open to all active TTRA members. Interested participants can register through the Townsville Saints website - https://saints.tsv.tf/programme/junior/join.
For more information, the programme's coordinators can be contacted via email - operations@ttra.org.au