An interesting subplot occurred on the sidelines of Thursday night’s clash between the Newcastle Jets and Northern Inland at Scully Park.
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While the crowd’s attention was obviously focused on the game, the linesmen for the encounter were, unbeknown to most in attendance, in the midst of milestones in a match-officiating journey that began when they were 12 years old.
I've had a serious intent to go places for about three years
- Daniel York
It was then that 18-year-old best friends Lachlan Smith and Daniel York, who have known each other since kindergarten, did their first refereeing course as part of the Tamworth South Public School under-12 side who made the top eight in the state that year.
“We got real cocky and started to be real a***h**** to referees,” Smith said.
“Our coach and Souths United organised a day when we went to the field and got our refereeing ticket, and we [he and York] went from there.
“All the kids that went there, the majority of the team started refereeing and most stayed about a year.
“As time went on, really only Daniel and myself are left.”
Smith and York are in Year 12 at Tamworth High School and Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School respectively.
They are the youngest Northern Inland Premier League referees and dream of officiating matches at the highest level.
“Learn as much as you can and try and go as far as you can and be the best referee you can possibly be,” Smith said, adding that the Jets match was crucial in their development.
“It will be good to see the speed they play at and the attitude they play with,” he said.
York has had a “serious intent to go places for about three years” as a referee.
“It [refereeing] keeps me in the game I love,” he said.
Smith and York are the recipients of the Sportsmans Warehouse Community Sports Award for July.