Touch New Zealand
PO Box 21241
Henderson
Auckland 0650
www.touchnz.co.nz
To:
Provincial Referee Directors; Touch NZ Regional Referee Directors; Touch NZ
National Referees
From:
Darrin Sykes, Touch NZ National Director of Referees
Date:
4 July 2016
Subject:
Touch NZ Referees Newsletter July 2016
1.01 The purpose of this newsletter is to bring you up to date with a number of Touch NZ
Referees matters that have occurred since the end of the season in March 2016.
1.02 A number of these matters were discussed at the annual meeting of the Touch NZ
Referees Advisory Panel held on 25 June 2016 in Wellington. This meeting was attended
by the Touch NZ Referee Advisory Panel (Darrin Sykes; Stu McDonald; Tony Cooper)
and the Touch NZ National Referees Coordinator (Vanessa Smith).
1.03 In addition a number of the topic areas discussed at the 25 June 2016 meeting were
discussed and debated at the Provincial and Regional Referee Directors meeting held in
Wellington on 14 May 2016. Provincial and Regional Referee Directors feedback at the
14 May 2016 was invaluable when discussing a number of matters at the 25 June meeting.
2
Touch NZ Referee selection criteria for Touch NZ National Championships
in the 2016-2017
2.01 Touch NZ Referee selection criteria for Touch NZ National Championships in the 20162017 season is essentially the same as last season (Online registration; Referee Director
Endorsements; Touch NZ Level 1 Referee qualification and above; and referee multistage
fitness test policy requirements .
2.02 The Touch NZ Referee Advisory Panel confirmed the following Touch NZ Referee
selection criteria policies:
a. Referees who register for referee selection for a specific Touch NZ National
Championships (and assuming Touch NZ Regional and Provincial Referee Director
endorsements) by the Touch NZ deadline are prioritised for referee selections first;
and
b. If after exhausting all referee selections in 2.02a) above, and more referees are
required for the Touch NZ National Championship, then late referee registrations
for a specific Touch NZ National Championship (assuming Touch NZ Regional and
Provincial Referee Director endorsements) are then considered.
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2.03 Touch NZ Referee High Performance Squad members must attend 2016 Touch NZ
Secondary School Championships or 2017 Touch NZ Junior National Championship &
2017 Touch NZ Open/Youth/Masters Championships to maintain eligibility for the Touch
NZ Referee High Performance Squad they are in.
2.04 Referees who attend both the 2016 Touch NZ Secondary Schools Championships and
2017 Touch NZ Junior National Championships will be given referee selection preference
to the 2017 Touch NZ Open/Youth/Masters Championships.
2.05 The Touch NZ Referees Online Registration form to register your EOI for any or all the
2016-2017 Touch NZ National Championships will be available on the referees section
of the Touch NZ website on 29 July 2016.
3
Touch NZ referee multistage fitness test policy requirements
3.01 The key Referee multistage fitness test policy requirements changed in June 2015 to the
following
a) Provincial Referee Director will determine whether referee is “fit” to Referee at a
Touch NZ National Championship at the point Touch NZ supplies the fully
completed Individual Referee Registration on the Touch NZ website for Touch NZ
National Championships seeking Provincial Referee Director Endorsement;
b) Once a referee has been selected for a Touch NZ National Championship, Touch
NZ still requires one (1) multistage fitness test for all participating referees at Touch
NZ National Championships for fitness monitoring purposes (ie only one (1)
multistage fitness test required for all participating referees1 for all three
(3) Touch NZ National Championships).
c) Provincial and Regional Referee Directors agreed at a meeting on 14 May 2016 that
regional and/or provincial multistage fitness test for all potential referees’ candidates
for Touch NZ National Championship will be completed in November 2016.
Provincial and Regional Referee Directors are requested to provide multistage fitness
test for all potential referees’ candidates for Touch NZ National Championship by
Sunday 20 November 2016 5pm; and
d) If the multistage fitness test is not submitted by 12pm on the day before the
commencement of the Touch NZ National Championship then it will be a
requirement of any referee selected for the Touch NZ National Championship
without a multistage fitness test to undertake a multistage fitness test either on the
morning of the first day of the championship or during the championship
4
Limit on referees for each Touch NZ National Championship
4.01 The number of referees is limited for each Touch NZ National Championship (2016
Touch NZ National Secondary Schools Championships: 60 Referees; 2017 Junior
Nationals: 100 Referees; and 2017 Touch NZ Open/Youth/Masters Championships: 83
referees). If the number of referees who have registered and endorsed by Directors for
selection and meet the policy requirements are in excess of the number of referees
required for a Touch NZ National Championship, then the Touch NZ Referee Selection
principles will be applied (see page 9).
1
Special conditions may apply to the Tier 1 Touch NZ National Referees Squad; Tier 2 Touch
NZ National Referees Training Squad & Touch NZ Youth Referees Academy Members.
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4.02 The 4th priority for the Touch NZ Referee Selection principles has been modified ensuring
the badge level of referees is proportionate to the following: 75% of referees selected are
Level 4 and 3 (inc senior) referees and 25% of the referees selected are Level 2 referees.
4.03 It is noted the Touch NZ Referee Selection principles are only required where the
number of referees who have registered and endorsed by Directors for selection and
meet the policy requirements are in excess of the number of referees required for a
Touch NZ National Championship.
5
Changes to Touch NZ Referee Upgrade nomination policy and process to
2016-2017 Touch NZ National Championships
5.01 The following policy changes were made:
i.
Any replacement referee (where an originally selected referee withdraws from
selection) made after the 3 week deadline has expired will be given the
opportunity to have a referee upgrade nomination made within 3 days of their
replacement referee selection;
ii.
Level 2 referee upgrade nominations can be made upto Wednesday prior to the
referee assembly date for Touch NZ National Championship;
iii.
Potential Level 4 nominations for 2017 Nationals 3-5 March 2017 can only be
made between 20-26 February 2017 only - means that referee candidates and
directors have then considered all of the referee candidate information after the
2016 Nat SS and 2017 Junior Nationals will make a more informed decision to
nominate or not;
iv.
The minimum multistage fitness test results for Touch NZ Referee Upgrade
nominations to 2016-2017 Touch NZ National Championships is as follows:
Minimum Minimum
Minimum
multistage multistage
multistage
fitness
fitness test fitness test
test
results
results
results
2014/2015
2016/2017
2013/2014 2015/2016
eligibility for refereeing at
8.0
8.6
8.6
any Touch NZ National
Championships + Touch
NZ Level 2 Referee
Qualification outside of a
Touch
NZ
National
Championships
Level 2-3 upgrade (inc S3)
9.0
9.0
9.0
Level 3-4 senior and
10.0
10.0
10.0
female upgrade
Level 3-4 open male
11.0
11.0
11.5
upgrade
v.
The Touch NZ Referee Advisory Panel determined that the Level 3-4 open male
upgrade minimum multistage fitness test result would increase from 11 to 11.5.
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vi.
Revamped referee assessment and coaching focus on level 3 referees including
the following:
i. At the 2016 Secondary School Nationals and 2017 Junior Nationals
all level 3 referees will be called together after the assembly all
referees meeting so that they can be briefed on the changes to the
referee assessment and coaching focus on level 3 referees for the
2016-2017 season;
ii. the Referee Upgrades Referee Coach team will view/assess all level 3
referees at 2016 Secondary School Nationals and 2017 Junior
Nationals and complete a level 4 checklist;
iii. Post tournament level 4 checklist (in a summarized form) will be given
orally to the level 3 referees on day 3 before the referee leaves the
national championship. The feedback will focus on the following:
1. Strengths identified in their performance; and
2. Areas for improvement identified in their performance
relative to the level 4 referee competency checklist.
iv. The referees performance feedback will be available on request to
the Provincial Referee Director or Regional Referees Director;
v. Level 3 referees can opt out of the level 4 checklist at the 2016
Secondary School Nationals and 2017 Junior Nationals by advising
their team leader who will advise the head of the Referee Upgrades
Referee Coach team.
5.02
6
The changes to the Touch NZ Referee Upgrade nomination policy and process to
2016-2017 Touch NZ National Championships will be released in more detail by 31
August 2016.
Referee upgrade status
6.01 The Referee Upgrade Status for each Touch NZ National Championships is as follows:
i.
National Secondary Schools Championships – Upgrade to a maximum of
level 3;
ii.
Junior National Championships - Upgrade to a maximum of level 3
iii.
Open/Youth/Masters Championships - Upgrade to a maximum of level 4
6.02 The Referee Upgrade Status for the 2017 World Masters Games is to a maximum of a
Touch NZ level 2 qualification.
7
Other business
The Touch NZ Referees Advisory Panel reviewed and discussed the following matters:
 Touch NZ Referee Coach strategy for the forthcoming season;
 Tier 1 Touch NZ National Referees Squad and future of the Tier 2 Touch NZ
National Referees Training Squad & Touch NZ Youth Referees Academy;
 Touch NZ Level Two Courses Attendances;
 National Certificate in Sport-Officiating;
 Referee Coaching Database update; and
 Referee Coaching Courses 2016-2017.
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APPENDIX 1
Minimum Selection Criteria for Referees for Touch NZ National Championships
for the 2016-2017 season
Minimum Selection Criteria for Referees for
2016 Touch NZ National Secondary Schools Championships
(Maximum of 60 referees to be selected)
The following policy was approved by the Touch NZ Referee Advisory Panel at its Panel
meeting held 25 June 2016.
a)
b)
c)
d)
Fully completed Individual Referee Registration on the Touch NZ website;
Provincial Referee Director Endorsement;
Touch NZ Regional Referee Director Endorsement;
Complies with the Touch NZ fitness/multistage testing policy as attached in
appendix 2; &
e) Touch NZ Level 1 Referee qualification and above (or equivalent for TFA and
Touch Europe badged referees) with a minimum one (1) years’ experience
following the upgrade to the Touch NZ Level 1 Referee qualification (Note 1:
Dispensation may be granted if Referees hold a Level 1 certification for the
duration of less than one year)
Note: where the number of referees who have registered and are endorsed by
Directors for selection and meet the policy requirements is in excess of the 60
referees required for the 2016 Touch NZ National Secondary Schools
Championships, then the Touch NZ referee selection principles contained on page 9
will apply.
Minimum Selection Criteria for Referees for
2017 Touch NZ Junior National Championships
(Maximum of 100 referees to be selected)
The following policy was approved by the Touch NZ Referee Advisory Panel at its Panel
meeting held 25 June 2016.
a)
b)
c)
d)
Fully completed Individual Referee Registration on the Touch NZ website;
Provincial Referee Director Endorsement;
Touch NZ Regional Referee Director Endorsement;
Complies with the Touch NZ fitness/multistage testing policy as attached in
appendix 2; &
e) Touch NZ Level 1 Referee qualification and above (or equivalent for TFA and
Touch Europe badged referees) with a minimum one (1) years’ experience
following the upgrade to the Touch NZ Level 1 Referee qualification (Note 1:
Dispensation may be granted if Referees hold a Level 1 certification for the
duration of less than one year)
f) Note: where the number of referees who have registered and are endorsed by
Directors for selection and meet the policy requirements is in excess of the 100
referees required for the 2017 Touch NZ Junior National Championships then
the Touch NZ referee selection principles contained on page 9 will apply.
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Minimum Selection Criteria for Referees for
2017 Touch NZ Open/Youth/Masters Championships
(Maximum of 83 referees to be selected)
The following policy was approved by the Touch NZ Referee Advisory Panel at its Panel
meeting held 25 June 2016:
a) Fully completed Individual Referee Registration on the Touch NZ website;
b) Provincial Referee Director Endorsement;
c) Touch NZ Regional Referee Director Endorsement;
d) Full attendance as a Referee at the 2016 Touch NZ National Secondary Schools
Championships or 2017 Touch NZ Junior National Championships if selected;
e) Touch NZ Level 1 Referee qualification and above (or equivalent for TFA and
Touch Europe badged referees) with a minimum one (1) years’ experience
following the upgrade to the Touch NZ Level 1 Referee qualification (Note 1:
Dispensation may be granted if Referees hold a Level 1 certification for the
duration of less than one year); and
f) Complies with the Touch NZ fitness/multistage testing policy as attached in
appendix 2.
g) Note: where the number of referees who have registered and are endorsed by
Directors for selection and meet the policy requirements is in excess of the 83
referees required for the 2017 Touch NZ Open/Youth/Masters Championships,
then the Touch NZ referee selection principles contained on page 9 will apply.
Touch NZ fitness/multistage testing policy
Referee fitness eligibility - Touch NZ National Championships
The Touch NZ referee fitness eligibility policy for the 2016-2017 season for referee
selection for Touch NZ National Championships will be as follows:
1
The referee2 seeking referee selection for Touch NZ National Championships will require
an “endorsement” decision by the Provincial Referee Director that the referee is “fit” to
Referee at a Touch NZ National Championship.
2
In making the referee fitness eligibility “endorsement” decision the Provincial Referee
Director will consider the following factors:
a. Any recent multistage fitness test results of the referee;
b. Observations made by the Provincial Referee Director or other persons of the
referee refereeing in matches;
c. Whether in the opinion of the Provincial Referee Director taking into account
the physical fitness challenge of referees participating at Touch NZ National
Championships, whether the fitness level of the referee would be at least credible
in allowing the referee to officiate.
2
Excluding the Tier 1 Touch NZ National Referees Squad; Tier 2 Touch NZ National
Referees Training Squad & Touch NZ Youth Referees Academy Members and Referee
Upgrade candidates
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Referee multistage fitness test policy requirement - Touch NZ National
Championships
1
Once a referee has been selected for a Touch NZ National Championship, Touch NZ still
requires a multistage fitness test for all participating referees at Touch NZ National
Championship for fitness monitoring purposes.
2
Only one (1) multistage fitness test is required for a referee to participate in any Touch
NZ National Championship held between December and March.
3
Provincial and Regional Referee Directors agreed at a meeting on 14 May 2016 that
regional and/or provincial multistage fitness test for all potential referees’ candidates for
Touch NZ National Championship will be completed in November 2016. Provincial and
Regional Referee Directors are requested to provide multistage fitness test for all
potential referees’ candidates for Touch NZ National Championship by Sunday 20
November 2016 5pm.
The following policy will apply:
a. Multistage fitness test results will be required to be submitted to Touch NZ by
12pm on the day before the commencement of the Touch NZ National
Championship. Tests to be either undertaken by the Provincial Referee Director
or authorized person provincially.
b. If the multistage fitness test is not submitted, then it will be a requirement of any
referee selected for the Touch NZ National Championship without a multistage
fitness test to undertake a multistage fitness test on the morning of the first day
of the championship.
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Touch NZ Referee Selection principles3
Where the number of referees who have registered and endorsed by Directors for selection
and meet the policy requirements are in excess of the number of referees required for a
Touch NZ National Championship then the following Touch NZ referee selection principles
will apply in prioritizing the referee selections:
1. First priority referee selection will go to a referee who has a multistage fitness test
result. Touch NZ reserve the right to use the highest recorded multistage fitness
test result submitted for a referee in the 2015-2016 season;
2. Following the first referee selection principle, second priority will then go to referees
who have multistage fitness test result 8.6 and above;
3. Following the first and second referee selection principles, third priority will then go
to referees who have the highest multistage fitness test results;
4. Following the first, second and third referee selection principles, fourth priority will
then go to ensuring the badge level of referees is proportionate to the following:
a. 75% of referees selected are Level 4 and 3 (inc senior) referees
b. 25% of the referees selected are Level 2 referees.
where the number of referees who have registered and endorsed by Directors for
selection and meet the policy requirements is in excess of the number of referees required
for a Touch NZ National Championship
3
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