Attracting female soccer referees – The Trinidad and Tobago experience

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that attract and deter female soccer referees’ in Trinidad and Tobago to inform strategies for recruitment. The lived experiences of retired and current female referees were analysed. The study was qualitative and involved twenty-three participants (19 female referees and 4 male administrators), selected by convenience sampling. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed and coded to derive themes. The findings revealed four benefits: improvement in health and fitness; social interaction; financial rewards; improved knowledge and self-confidence and four challenges: acceptance and respect; time management; physical demand; inadequate facilities. Unique findings: need for adequate facilities with basic amenities, time management, and the physical demand of refereeing as both a benefit and challenge.

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our very great appreciation to the female referees, who participate in this research, for their support and for making themselves available during the interview and follow up process. Their willingness to share their experiences and give of their time so generously has been very much appreciated.

We would also like to thank the members of the TTFRA, RCRD and TTFA for supporting this research.

Disclosure statement

The manuscript has been read and approved by all named authors and has not been submitted in any other journal or publishing company. We further confirm that the order of the authors listed in the manuscript has been approved by all of us.

We declare that this research is our original research.

Notes

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