South Asian Heritage Month: Umar Ahmed
To celebrate South Asian Heritage Month 2024, we are interviewing several referees and coaches from South Asian backgrounds across the grassroots game in West Riding.
Today, we start by speaking to Umar Ahmed, a West Riding Match Official from Leeds:
Tell us about how and why you got involved in refereeing?
Funny story - there was a mix up with a coaching course and I ended up in a referees course. Stuck with it, enjoyed it and years later I am still refereeing.
What level referee are you and where do you officiate?
I am a level 3 referee mainly refereeing Step 3/4 football and Premier League U18s as a referee. I am also assistant referee on the National League North and also acted as 4th official on National League and Premier League 2 games. It’s quite varied.
What do you enjoy about refereeing?
The experiences and opportunities it brings. Refereeing really develops your confidence leadership on and off the pitch. I'm fortunate at the level I am there can be some big crowds and officiating in that atmosphere is brilliant.
Who are your role models in refereeing?
No specific role models, but those who made it to the higher levels of the game should be applauded for their achievements and dedication to get there.
What are your greatest achievements in refereeing and why?
Getting promotion to Level 3 was my best achievement so far, I really trained hard, took advice on board and applied myself to get there. The promotion ladder is competitive as there are a lot of good referees but making it to level 3 was a fantastic achievement. Darius Bradley, a senior referee within the county, has been a great help and influence in achieving this.
What is your best memory of refereeing?
I was fortunate enough to be part of 2 FA Cup Games that were live on BBC, a really special occasion with a historic competition that everyone knows worldwide. I have to mention refereeing North Ferriby v Hall Road in front of 1,139 a few seasons ago, which sealed my promotion to level 3, is up there in my best memories
What are your goals for the future?
Continue to referee and continue to enjoy it. Try and improve and build on each season. If I ever get promoted further - great, if not I will continue to enjoy the journey.
What are the biggest obstacles you have faced in refereeing and how have you overcome them?
Overcoming disappointments. Refereeing at times can be a bit of a rollercoaster, no one is perfect and at times navigating through some of the tough experiences is not always easy. Early on I didn't feel the right support was available particularly for referees like myself from a diverse South Asian background, but now there's a lot of positive work going on within West Riding and through the PGMOL CORE X Programme, which I am proudly part of the first ever cohort.
What advice would you give to people thinking about getting involved in refereeing?
Take the course and give it a go. The opportunities it has given me have been life changing and the skills I have learned have helped me way beyond the football pitch. It develops you personally and professional and will have a big impact on employability too. It keeps you active and gives you focus. I would urge anyone to give it a go and there is good support out there for you.