The Ghana Football Association's Catch Them Young Referees will officiate the maiden edition of the Elite U15 Girls Championship, which kicks off on Sunday, July 14, 2024.
The youth talent identification championship will see budding refereeing talents showcase their immense potential and quality at the Technical Centre of the Ghana Football Association, the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence, in Prampram.
The championship forms part of the implementation process of FIFA's Talent Development Scheme (TDS) by the GFA, aimed at talent identification and development of the next top football stars.
Ten (10) young female referees and ten (10) assistant referees have been named for this maiden championship, which is aimed at selecting the best talent within the age bracket for systematic and enhanced progress.
These young referees were selected from the ten football regions of Ghana after they exhibited top-quality performance during the year.
They showcased exceptional work ethic, confidence, discipline, decision making skills, and executed their duties efficiently and promptly during the grassroot football season.
The young referees will be in complete charge of the championship, which also forms part of the Women's Football Strategy (2023-2026) in talent identification and developmental growth for the girls.
The "Catch Them Young" referees have been actively officiating matches at the district and regional levels since the programme's launch in 2020.
This Catch Them Young Referees policy aims to identify and train young boys and girls aged between 12 and 18 who demonstrate a passion for refereeing.
To date, the GFA has successfully trained over 1,200 young referees across the country, and their progress is evident in their impressive performances at various levels of competition.
The development and recognition of these young referees are essential steps in ensuring the continued growth and excellence of refereeing in Ghana.
The youth tournament, which comes off at the Ghanaman Soccer Center of Excellence, Prampram, will feature the best under 15 female players from the ten Regional Football Associations.
