The governance body of football in the country, the Liberia Football Association (LFA), has ended a regional course for beginner referees in Margibi County and its environs.
The objective of the course, according to stakeholders and other officials, was to increase the number of young referees in the counties, and to also have a uniform interpretation of the laws of the game spreading throughout the country.
The two-day capacity building course for Liberian match officials in the related areas of the country was held during the climax days of the just-ended month of March at the Liberian Youth Network (LIYONET) school campus in Kakata, Margibi County, where many passionate referees showed up to get knowledge-building experience.
The facilitation of the training exercise was led by the Liberia Football Association Referee Director, Ebenezer Stanley Konah, who began the initiative on Day One, with a brief theoretical component presentation to those attending the exercise.
During Day Two, some of those attending the training confirmed to media platforms that over 80 percent of the materials taught were practically done by the participants, under the supervision of Joseph McGill, who was aided by the lead facilitator, Ebenezer Stanley Konah.
The training ended with officials of the Margibi County Sub-Association, along with some members of the Liberia Football Referees Association, cordially engaging young match officials that were certificated to exercise their different roles on the pitch with professionalism. At the climax of activities, over 26 trainees or participants were awarded certificates.
Among those certificated were Oscar Shaka, who was the dux of the training, Sumoiwuo S. Smith, Satta D. Johnson, Alice D. Sackie, Christian Kollie, Abel Cole, Lewis F. George, Mary George, Abraham Jackson, Cyrus Jacob, Blessing Konah, Charles Dunor, Harris Teh, Musa M Sesay, and Elijah Shaka, among others.
In separate remarks, Margibi County Referee Supervisor, Joseph McGill, thanked the LFA for using Margibi County as one of its venues for such training, while at the same time, the dux of the class lauded the LFA for taking the expansion of the referee capacity-building program to their county.
Oscar Shaka admitted that it was an enjoyable and knowledgeable program for members of the county’s match officiating team, to participate along with other counties’ referees in the training.
According to him, they as officials, after the training, will begin to implement the 17 laws of the game to the fullest, without fear of anyone in violation, nor favor from anyone that will want to take advantage of the game’s rules.
For his part, the Assistant Secretary General of the Sports Writers’ Association of Liberia, Jerome C. Willie, referenced that it was laudable to have the local football house using the rural area for such an initiative.
He thanked the leadership of the LFA for the innovation that could contribute to decentralizing the game across the country, while calling on the participants to make adequate use of the knowledge acquired.
He stated, “Today you are not no longer an ordinary person, but rather, you represent a noble institution. Please go and use the 17 laws of the game wisely,” noting that it is important to execute regulations based on legal grounds.
The participants of the training were drawn from Nimba, Grand Bassa, Rivercess, Sinoe, and Margibi Counties, making it five counties to complete the process.
