The Barbados Football Association (BFA) was founded in 1910
and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010.
Bridgetown,
Barbados – The Barbados Football Association
(BFA) today announced that two BFA FIFA Assistant Referees, Abigail Brathwaite and Jaselle
Louison, will participate in the Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Women’s Match Officials Course from 7th –
9th March in Antigua and Barbuda.
The three-day
regional Course will form part of the CFU’s observation of International Women’s
Day (IWD) 2025 (Saturday 8th March) and targets female Caribbean
match officials who are currently on the FIFA International Refereeing List.
Both Abigail
and Jaselle will participate in physical and theoretical training covering the
Laws of the Game, position and movement, match management, the psychology of
officiating, and the referee as a brand, as well as have the privilege of
hearing from a variety of inspiring presenters during the ‘enrichment sessions’
component of the Course. On IWD itself, all participating match officials will engage
in a daylong workshop, exploring issues intrinsic to Caribbean women referees.
BFA FIFA
Assistant Referee Jaselle
Louison said it was an honor to be
selected to represent Barbados in this regional professional development opportunity.
“It’s
always an honor to represent Barbados as a referee, and being part of a course
especially for women is no exception,” she said. “It is encouraging that as
females in a male dominated sport, we are seen for the hard work we put in and given
these kinds of opportunities to elevate to both regional and international levels.
I’m looking
forward to interacting with, and learning from, other female referees, instructors,
and mentors from across the Caribbean so that I can bring back the knowledge to
Barbados and share it with others.”
BFA Head
of Refereeing Victor Moore said he welcomed this current opportunity provided
by the CFU to further develop the skills of local referees, particularly women.
“We are pleased
to take full advantage of all training opportunities made available to our
match officials so that we can continue to strengthen our pool of referees on
the island,” he said. “Being involved in this Course is just another part of
the pathway to becoming a top international official, and not only does it
benefit the performance of our referees individually, but it also assists us to
make for better football in Barbados. It is my sincere hope that by having
local representatives participate in these kinds of noteworthy educational
programs, that we can encourage others to consider a career in refereeing,
especially females.”
BFA
President Randy Harris reiterated the BFA’s commitment to investing in all
aspects of women in football, emphasizing the Association’s holistic and all-encompassing
approach to developing the sport on the island.
“Capacity building
is paramount to the development of football in Barbados and it is critical that
we continue to provide local, regional, and international development
opportunities to every facet of football, and especially to women,” he said. “As
we seek to progress the women’s game in Barbados, the BFA remains committed to empowering
women involved in all areas of the sport to reach their full potential, and to build
on the development of females in football on the island.”
Harris additionally
noted the BFA will be participating in a fun day event hosted by the Barbados
Cricket Association (BCA) this Saturday alongside other national sporting
associations to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) and to honor all women
in sport.
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Photo caption: BFA FIFA Assistant Referee Jaselle Louison (image courtesy of Alison Ince Photography).
Media
enquires:
Amy
Goulding
BFA Communications Director
+1 (246) 820 8695
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