CFU Next Generation Referee Course 2022 cohort.  (CFU File Photo)

 

• Second cohort comprises 23 individuals
• Elite panel of administrators and facilitators
• Hues to the CFU strategic objective of a CFU referee panel at every World Cup starting in 2026

 

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (January 17, 2023)—A group of 23 match officials, comprised of 16 referees and seven assistant referees, converge on Antigua from January 19, 2023, for the second edition of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU)/Concacaf New Generation Referee Course. The course runs from January 20-22, 2023.

The Next Generation Course caters to Caribbean match officials who have the prerequisites to matriculate to the FIFA Refereeing International Lists. The course equips participants with theoretical and practical skills, ultimately leading to nominations to the FIFA rank. This is year two of the initiative. Eleven match officials from the 2022 cohort of 25 made the 2023 FIFA list.

The CFU initiative, which is supported by Concacaf, underpins the CFU’s capacity-building strategic objective of have a CFU panel of referees represented at every FIFA World Cup.

Dave Meikle, Concacaf Refereeing Manager, and Kelesha Antoine, FIFA and Concacaf Elite Fitness Instructor, serve double duty as administrators and instructors. Dianne Ferreira-James, Concacaf Elite Assessor and Instructor, Victor Stewart, FIFA and Concacaf Instructor and Referee Assessor, and Rohan Thobourne, Concacaf Fitness Instructor, are the other instructors.

Meikle noted that 21 of the 23 Caribbean match officials appointed to the 2023 FIFA list came through the Next Generation Course and the CFU Under-14 Challenge Series. He noted the importance of the course to the strategic objective.

“The connection between the Next Generation Course and the CFU U-14 and having 23 match officials elevated to the FIFA ranks is no coincidence. Both events are training grounds for future refereeing starts. The course and officiating in the Challenge Series force match officials outside of their comfort zones and expose them to different teams, playing styles and player temperament. The referees benefit from high-level training and constructive feedback,” Meikle said.

Meikle also highlighted the synergy amongst the CFU Member Associations, the CFU and Concacaf, saying the role of the Member Associations is key to the long-term development of a cadre of competent Caribbean match officials.

“The training of referees by the Member Associations is very important to the referees’ development. The MA is the first point of contact, and so they must ensure that their match officials receive very strong foundation at the start of careers. This is vital in the acquisition of skills and knowledge,” Meikle added.

The cohort is drawn from 15 countries.

No	First Name	Last Name	Gender	Role	Country
1	Giovannie	James	Male	Referee	Antigua and Barbuda
2	Patrick	Browne	Male	AF	Antigua and Barbuda
3	Evens	Jumlis	Male	Referee	Bahamas
4	Cleon	Culley	Male	Referee	Barbados
5	Shireen	Alleyne	Female	AR	Barbados
6	Satia	Burchal	Female	AR	Bermuda
7	James	Ramprashad	Male	Referee	British Virgin Islands
8	Kedeen	True	Male	Referee	Cayman Islands
9	Jonathon	Hughes	Male	Referee	Cayman Islands
10	Jean Marc	Scholtz	Male	Referee	Curacao
11	Carolina	Rodrigues DaSilva	Female	AR	Curacao
12	George	Santana	Male	AR	Dominican Republic
13	McManaman	Bedeau	Male	Referee	Grenada
14	Kessy	Phillip	Male	AR	Grenada
15	Kendy	Benjamin	Male	Referee	Haiti
16	Nicholas	Wassoup	Male	Referee	Martinique
17	Akeem	Harvey	Male	Referee	St. Lucia
18	Renlee	Napolean	Male	Referee	St. Lucia
19	Edson	Lieveld	Male	Referee	Suriname
20	Junior	Scholeberg	Male	AR	Suriname
21	Mijensamrs	Rensch	Male	AR	Suriname
22	Nathalia	Williams	Female	Referee	Trinidad and Tobago
23	Timothy	Derry	Male	Referee	Trinidad and Tobago