USSF announced on December 8 that Sandra Hunt, a top rated U.S. member on the FIFA Referee Panel since 1999 until her retirement this year, has been appointed to lead two clinics in Virginia in January.

 

The first clinic, on Saturday, January 22, will be in Fredericksburg and is for assessors and instructors.  It breaks new ground as the first time USSF has sponsored and provided an instructor for in-service training of assessors and instructors.  The second clinic, following the next day on Sunday, January 23, and also in Fredericksburg, will be USSF's standard Advanced Referee class.  Both classes will start promptly at 9:00 a.m. and are expected to end no later than 5:00 p.m.

 

All assessors and instructors are required to attend the January 22 clinic to meet their in-service training requirements for recertification in 2006 (another mandatory state-wide meeting will be held in the late spring).  However, pre-registration through the State Office is necessary so that we can maintain an accurate count of the expected attendance.  [RSVP to mdcvasrp@erols.com.]  As in the past, a box lunch will be provided.  Expenses for this clinic are covered by the state program.  The clinic is open to instructors and assessors from neighboring states.  Attendees not registered with DCV must pay $10.00.  Click here for Out-of-State registration form.

 

The Advanced Referee class on January 23 is open to all senior referees (Grade 7 and above).  The fee for each attendee, from DCV or elsewhere, is $20.00.  Any DCV senior referee who has not yet completed the training and testing requirements for registration in 2005 may do so by attending this clinic.  (Referees from outside the state need to make appropriate arrangements with their own state program.)  The written recertification test will be given during the day and, weather permitting, a field test will be conducted.  Attendance at this clinic can also, with the permission of the SDI, be used to meet the training requirement for upgrading to State 1 (grade 5).  Click here for Advanced Referee Clinic registration form.

 

Anyone interested in attending either clinic must register through the State Office and prepay the stated fee.   Registration forms and fees must be received at the State Office by January 14.  There will be no refunds for withdrawals past January 14.  Any assessor or instructor unable to attend on January 22 must contact the SDA (Paul Rapalski) or the SDI (Dan Heldman) to receive approval for missing this meeting.

 

Sandra Hunt has been a referee since 1987.  Upon retiring from the International Panel this year, she became a FIFA instructor and assessor.  There are just eleven in the world and only two of them are women.

 

During her time as a referee, Hunt has officiated the opening game of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, participated in the 2001 Asian Women's Championship, been a fourth official at the 2003 Women's World Cup and was named top referee of the 2003 Four Nations Tournament in China. Hunt was also a referee in the WUSA and MLS. She was one of the first two women to referee an MLS game when she officiated a game in Kansas City while Nancy Lay simultaneously refereed in Dallas.