Top referees help to inspire Harry
One of the great rugby values is respect, particularly respect for the referee.
So, when a young match official who wants to make his future as a referee gets serious abuse from an adult coach, it’s no surprise that this ends in a disciplinary case taken on by the RFU.
Nobody expects this behaviour at an U16s match, or indeed any match. And nobody wants to see the enthusiasm of a young referee dampened.
That’s why the perpetrator was banned from rugby and the young official was invited to spend a day with England Rugby’s professional referees.
The negative experience of 16-year-old Harry Isaacs has certainly not put him off refereeing. His dad, Simon, who is also a referee, was taking charge of an adjacent U15 Cup match when Harry had to decide to abandon the U16 game he was refereeing.
Simon began refereeing when Harry was playing for Northampton Boys Brigade Old Boys U8s and, when injured as an U12, Harry began to explore refereeing as a way of staying in the game he loves. Shortly after his 14th birthday, he completed an online match official course and later the practical part of the course at Birmingham and Solihull RFC.
From there, he began officiating U12 to U14 matches and, like dad, joined the East Midlands Referees Society. Since then, Harry has this season been refereeing adult games on Saturdays as well as continuing with the age grade games on Sundays
Harry officiated dad’s match
There was more and more call on his refereeing and, loving the role, Harry continued to train with his club squad but now officiates instead of playing matches. One of his mentors has been the East Midlands Society Chairmen, previously Jon Hutton and now John Wearing, and older referees have been impressed by his knowledge, enthusiasm and willingness to put in the hours. Earlier this season, the roles for Simon and Harry were reversed when Simon played in a pre-season friendly which Harry officiated!
He was one of the most prolific officials in a single season and his head teacher at Manor School, Lee Towers, a former National Panel Assistant Referee himself, has been very supportive and allows Harry to take time out to officiate games.
Once in a lifetime experience
“I was amazed to get an email inviting me to Twickenham,” said Harry. “It was brilliant when I thought it must be as part of a group but to discover the invite was just for me and to be with all the professional referees that are my heroes, I could hardly believe it. It was a once in a lifetime experience.
“They made me so welcome, I had a long chat with Wayne Barnes about what happened and spent time with Christophe Ridley, who I’d love to emulate in going to university and following that route into officiating. All the referees were brilliant. I got to sit in with Adam Leal and his performance reviewer on a Gloucester game he covered. They even asked my opinions and encouraged me to discuss why I thought decisions were made.
“I already wanted to do my Level 5, progress to higher level games and maybe one day get as far as the National Panel. Now I feel even more inspired. Obviously, my current targets lie in sixth form and then university, but my ambition is to combine rugby refereeing and education.”
As Harry’s services continue to take him further afield and his dad is refereeing at other matches, mum Dawn acts as her son’s chaperone and taxi driver, so for the Isaacs rugby is a real family affair.
