JOHANNESBURG – Ashleigh Murray walked away with much coveted Lions referee award at their annual prize giving.
The annual awards evening took place on Friday November 8 at Ellis Park where the unions referees were awarded for their efforts during the season.
Ashleigh received the Women’s Referee of the Year award for 2013. According to her some five women referees started the season with only two of them finishing the full season.
The 18-year old who wrote her matric at St Martins’ is a Grade 3 Golden Lions Rugby Union referee. She is a dedicated schools and clubs referee who paved her way towards this season since 2011 when she decided to take up this challenge.
“I decided to become a referee after watching a match when my dad said that I can do it,” said Ashleigh. “I enrolled at the Lions and ever since that day I have been on the field enjoying refereeing.”
Her biggest tournament to date was the 2012 u.16 Girls Week which was played in Kimberley. “I prefer doing the boys schools and club matches, as they know the rules while the girl’s matches are a lot of work, they are not very familiar with the rules.”
She did a written referees course where the laws of rugby were explained, but according to her you learn the most when you are on the field. Her aim is to become a South African Rugby Union referee which she plans to do in 2014. Once you have past the SARU Referees fitness test, referees are enrolled at SARU.
Ashleigh will further her education at the University of Johannesburg in 2014 doing a BA degree.
