[ Background ]

Like most referees, I started as a player. I’ve been playing for about 15 years. I started on the pitch near my school, there I was asked to join the boys teams at the local club. After a year or two I was approached by another local club with a girls team and it went well! I played in the I liga (second tier) in Poland. I changed clubs again later. The new club was in the II liga, after one year we were promoted to I liga.

At that time, I was also in school and I wanted to earn money and try something new. I saw they were looking for referees to enroll in a course. I said, ‘why not?’ and gave it a try! That’s how it all started.

The course lasted about a month, maybe two and you have to pay, but only a small amount. Before you can referee a match you have to pass two tests - a written one about the laws of the game and a physical exam. It depends a little on the city and the organizers but we have to run 75 meters in 17 seconds, then 22 seconds break and repeat 40 times, about 4 kilometers, plus 6 sprints of 45 meters.

After passing these two tests, you are assigned to your first match. Usually, you start with children’s matches and sometimes you also get someone to observe and give you some advice and guidance.

My first match was a disaster! I forgot the children had offsides and I forgot to note the goalscorers as well. It was a tough start but I’m a person who is always looking to improve and become better and better. Since then, I’ve obviously developed a lot, and have put a lot of effort to get to where I am now.

[ Are you still playing alongside your refereeing? ]

No, in the beginning, I was still able to play in the I Liga and referee local matches because they didn’t clash. Later on, as I was progressing and moving up as a referee, I had to choose - so I chose referee instead of football player. But I decided to give myself one more year as a player and I’ve been playing in the 4th division for one more season!

[ Do you always work with the same refereeing team? How is the referee position (vs assistant) decided? ]

It depends of course on our availability because we have to work and have our own private lives but mostly I work with the same team - two of my friends. We try to work together whenever possible and do probably about 80% of the matches together but sometimes there’s a switch and we have another girl take someone’s place for a match.

I’m usually the referee because I’m certified as a referee by the Polish Football Association. You have to choose whether you want to follow the referee or assistant path, but you can’t choose both.

[ Does someone watch your matches and give you feedback? ]

Yes, there are people who come, observe you and give feedback or advice. Sometimes they ask why I made a certain decision - or say what they would have done in my place. It helps, but sometimes we don’t agree and I still believe in my decision. So we might argue a little bit and try to persuade each other!

Sometimes my matches are recorded and I can watch my performance, that’s a huge advantage as well. Sometimes I watch it together with my (referee) friends too.

[ What does your schedule look like? Do you referee multiple matches in a day? ]

The matches are usually during the weekend, so Saturday, Sunday and sometimes (but not often) also on Wednesday night. My job is Monday to Friday so there is no problem. But it’s not just matches, I think the most important part is how you plan your week regarding training sessions. It’s very important to go to the gym, go running or swimming or do recovery work so you’re fit and prepared for the matches.

You can control your schedule and set the times you are available. Usually, we get the match assignments one week in advance. Sometimes I have two matches in one day but mostly it’s a senior match and then a children’s match, so I’m okay with that.

Often, the matches are close to where we live but sometimes we have to drive 2 or 3 hours. We usually go together (as a refereeing team) as we’re friends and it's nice to spend time together outside the pitch and it’s cheaper for petrol!

[ What are the most important skills a referee needs that a casual fan might not notice? ]

The movement of the referee. We have to run in specific places. If you watch a referee you’ll see they are always moving in the same line between the boxes. To (be in a position to) see everything and to consider many different criteria at the same time requires lots of practice. For example, with a handball - it’s always controversial - most people just see the ball touching the hand but we have so many criteria to look at before we make a decision.

What skills are crucial? Being able to work and make decisions under pressure, fast thinking and teamwork.

[ Do you think it’s important for referees to have been players? ]

At the beginning of the course we were told, ‘being a player can be helpful but at the same time can disturb you’. I totally agree with that! In my case, it helps me a lot because I know what kind of referees and their behavior players (including me in the past) don’t like. Therefore, I know what to do in certain situations to ease the problem. I am also better able to predict what will happen - where a player is going to pass the ball, run etc.

However, a bunch of former players have this bad habit of watching the game instead of focusing on the decision making. If you lose concentration, you make worse decisions. If you have been playing in the past you sometimes try to justify the players’ bad behaviour and emotions as you have been ‘the same’. That is not good.

I know a lot of referees who haven’t been playing before, even one of my assistants - but she is excellent as an assistant referee (by the way both my assistants - Edyta and Gosia are the best). I believe the clue is to ‘switch’ and change the object of focus. I mean, now you are a referee - control the match, make decisions, speak to the players and officials, just do your job.

So, I think it doesn’t matter, it is possible to be a great referee without having any previous experience as a player. Although, if you are smart enough this experience can be used to your advantage.

[ What aspects separate really good referees from an average referee? ]

From my point of view, and I see this sometimes now when I observe younger colleagues, it’s being afraid of making a decision, they are indecisive. You have to be confident in whatever you do, in whatever decision, even if the decision is wrong (because it happens!). As well as being able to defend your decision from criticism which sometimes is not easy. Top referees know the laws of the game very well and know exactly why they make each decision. Whereas average referees make decisions because ‘it is like it is’.

It’s also very important to communicate well - not only with your team - but with the players. You can’t build a ‘wall’ in front of you so the players can’t speak to you. It’s important to treat the players with respect and not feel above them.

And of course, running and movement - you have to find the best place to see everything and know where everything is - the players, the ball.

[ Recently IFAB made a new rule saying only the captain can speak with the referee. Is this a helpful rule (vs allowing a more conversational style with all the players)? ]

For me, this rule is great because I don't have so many people around me shouting at me! I think you know, referees are not very strict in following this rule, you can observe at any level - even the highest levels - the referees are talking to different players and not only to the captain.

Respect is the crucial thing. If players come to me and ask something in a normal way, it’s not a problem to talk with them. But if someone - even the captain - comes to me shouting or swearing, then it is a yellow card!

[ Do you have a favorite referee? ]

Clément Turpin! I like him because he's so calm on the pitch and makes decisions very quickly and confidently. I think this has a big impact on the players - if you get angry, they can also get angry but if you’re calm, it can have the same effect on them. Very often he is ‘invisible’ on the pitch, even when he whistles you don’t pay too much attention, just ‘okay, foul, let’s move on’.

I love watching football, both men’s and women’s, and I always observe the referees during matches. I look at how they’re running, how they talk to the players and how they are behaving and try to implement some of their techniques during my matches.

[ What do you think about technology in refereeing? ]

I think VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is very useful and helps a lot but we have to use it in a proper way - and it’s not flawless. For example, a lot of referees in the leagues or competitions where they use VAR are waiting, they don’t want to make their own decisions and rely on someone checking. I think that’s a bad side effect.

A very good improvement implemented years ago was the headset for communication between the referee team. Sometimes you can’t see what has happened and if the assistant has a better view, they can let you know right away. The same with Goal-Line Technology. If you have twelve or more players in the box, for example, during a corner kick, sometimes it is impossible to see whether the ball crosses the line fully.

[ What about AI or ‘robotic’ referees? ]

I thought about this some time ago and I'm not a big fan of a robot referee, because I think it’s difficult for a robot to notice the intention of a player. Sometimes we have to look into the player’s eyes and see if he’s very angry, maybe he committed the foul deliberately. Emotions play a big role in referee and decision making as sometimes calls are subjective or have no one ‘right call’.

What is more, you lose this sense of interaction with the human being. We talk, we shout, we smile, sometimes we even laugh together with the players. AI can help, but cannot substitute a person.

[ What goals do you have for the future? ]

I want to be better and better every day. I train every day and try to improve, not only on the physical side but also mentally, with my communication and every aspect. I have to put in even more work because the better you are the more work you have to do to see the improvement.

I want to be the top referee in Poland, become a FIFA referee and go to big tournaments like the Euros or the World Cup. But overall, I just want to enjoy it - the time on the pitch, time with so many different people, with my friends, traveling. Refeering is something extraordinary that makes my life exciting. I don’t know what the future will bring, but I can do my best to not regret in the end that I could have done more, but I haven’t.