New referee realises lifetime ambition

SPORTS mad Phil Walker, a student at Warrington Collegiate, is celebrating achieving his life time ambition of becoming a referee.
Phil, aged 19 from Latchford, has learning difficulties and is a keen footballer, captaining the Warrington Collegiate First Team in the Pan Ability Football League, while also studying Vocational Studies.
He said: “I joined the college in 2010 and as part of my course I gained the sports Leadership award. I absolutely loved the unit on refereeing and started to volunteer with the college pan ability football team.”
One of Phil’s first refereeing jobs was on home turf, for the BCS PAN ability group 2 league tournament hosted by Warrington Collegiate on their 4G pitches at Orford Jubilee Park. In a tough competition between six teams, Warrington Collegiate, Stockport, Loreto, Salford, Riverside and Blackpool Colleges, the home team finished a very respectable third place.
Phil added: “It was a great atmosphere, fun but very competitive. The matches were very close with fantastic players on all sides. I refereed six matches and awarded my first penalty which the coaches all agreed was the right decision.”
Phil, who is a regular at Warrington Town games helping out with stewarding, is planning to progress to a student internship in September with Warrington Wolves foundation as well as completing an FA refereering qualification so that he can referee weekend games for the Warrington Junior Football League.
Pete Connor, Lecturer in Sport and Foundation Learning at Warrington Collegiate said: “I’m exceptionally proud of what Phil has achieved since leaving school. He has grown and developed both personally and professionally and is now an excellent referee with considerable match experience. What is really impressive is that Phil does this all in his own time in addition to his college studies. He’s now my assistant when we go out to games, as well as refereeing, I couldn’t do without him.
“Phil now acts as a student ambassador for the college, proving to be a talented young learner who’s taking responsibility and driving his career forward. He is a great role model for our students with learning difficulties and disabilities. He’s an outgoing young man and he put this skill to good use when he acted as master of ceremonies for the SLDD Talent Show at College.”