Member of the Month: Bryan Hicks
The CDSRA Member of the Month features referees of different ages, levels, and backgrounds to reflect the diversity in our referee community and our association. Our April 2024 Member of the Month is Bryan Hicks.
Questions & Answers:
Q: Current Referee Level & Highest level attained:
A: I am currently a district referee and a former regional referee.
Q: When did you begin, and what motivated you to start refereeing?
A: I began refereeing in Calgary in 1998. It was my teammates who motivated me because CUSA requested two players from each team to attend the entry level referee course. My teammates said to me, "You are always talking to the referees" (not always in a nice way), "so you may as well be one." As a player, I thought I knew the rules, but I was surprised when I read through the Law Book to see how much I did not know. Then, when I bought my first referee gear and looked in the mirror, I wanted to shout at myself, "C’mon Ref!"
Q: What has been your most enjoyable game/memory of your referee career?
A: I have had a few memorable games. One was a men’s final in the Calgary Police and Fire Games. The whole tournament was a great experience, meeting players from all over the world. The highest level in Canada was a men’s national game between Saskatchewan vs. Manitoba, where I was an assistant referee. I also refereed in a men’s tournament at the Essex County Football Association in England. I was lucky enough to officiate a semi-final game, and the atmosphere was great. For 20 years, up until Covid, I went to Las Vegas twice a year to referee in the Mayors Cup and Fall Cup, where I learned to speak Spanish as I officiated with many Mexican referees.
Q: What do you love most about refereeing?
A: There are many things that I enjoy about refereeing. It made me a different player, a better coach, and it keeps me involved with the world's greatest game. I am still refereeing; however, my bigger focus is now on mentoring, instructing, and assessing, which I also very much enjoy.
Q: When did you first become a CDSRA member and what encouraged you to join?
A: I think I had been a referee for about a year which would have been 1999 and I wanted to go to the next level. I spoke with other referees and they told me about CDSRA and the educational sessions they put on which helped me develop more skills and meet higher level referees.
Q: What advice would you give to somebody just starting out refereeing?
A: When a new referee is just starting out, whatever the age, I tell them to look for mentors to support them. Do not be nervous of a mentorship and study the Laws Of The Game as well . Attend referee courses where you will meet other referees and hear stories of game experiences and recommendations to take forward in their future games.
Q: What do you do outside of refereeing and what are some of your interests?
A: Outside of refereeing, my wife and I go to watch our four grandchildren in their sports. We have done cruises to many parts of the world and I golf. I am also an avid West Ham United supporter “UP THE AMMER’S”