ANNA Bay’s decorated international touch football referee Sam Clark has taken on an exciting new role with NSW Touch Football (NSWTF).
The experienced referee coach and Panel member has been appointed the new NSWTF Referees Director in an important leadership transition within its refereeing community.
She replaces long-serving Referees Director Ian Matthew who has stepped down after an extraordinary 34 years at the helm.
Clark, a valued official with the Nelson Bay Touch Football Association, was ranked the world’s best female touch football referee between 2011 and 2015.
She brings broad experience across referee coaching, education, appointments, fitness and conditioning, talent identification and pathway development.
Sam has spent the past four years coaching National Referee Squad referees and has attended the two most recent Asia Pacific competitions as a Federation of International Touch Referee Coach. She was also part of the referee coaching panel at the most recent State of Origin series in Coffs Harbour.
Within NSW, Sam has contributed to the State Referee Coaching Panel across the Elite Referee Squad, appointments and female referee development portfolios.
This has included presenting through the Her Sport Her Way program and supporting young female referees progressing toward the NSW Touch Referee Youth Squad program.
Sam has also held referee coaching and appointments responsibilities with the Hunter Western Hornets and Nelson Bay Touch Association, where she has helped deliver referee courses and supported the development of local and representative referees.
Her Certificate III and IV qualifications in fitness have complemented this work through the delivery of fitness, strength and conditioning programs for referees at local, state and national pathway levels.
A delighted Clark told News Of The Area that she was honoured to be appointed and excited by the opportunity to lead the next chapter of refereeing in NSW.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a refereeing community that has given me so much,” Sam said.
“Ian has established an enormous legacy, and I look forward to working closely with him, the Referees Panel and NSWTF staff to ensure we maintain the strengths of the existing program while continuing to evolve.
“My focus will be on strengthening referee and referee-coach pathways, supporting recruitment and retention, creating opportunities for emerging leaders and building a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture across the state,” Sam added.
Clark’s initial priorities will include working with Panel members and NSWTF staff to confirm portfolio responsibilities, strengthen referee education, support preparations for upcoming NSWTF events and continue developing sustainable pathways for referees and referee coaches.
Touch football officiating is in the family blood – Sam’s husband John and son Alec are world-class referees in their own right with glowing reputations at state and international levels.
By Chris KARAS
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