BREAKING Barriers events are an opportunity for people from a diverse range of roles in football to come together and discover more about officiating, writes Vlad Andrejevic.

The aim is to inspire attendees and discuss future opportunities for those interested in taking up the whistle or finding out more about the profession.

Aaron Ford, who was one of the panellists at the most recent Breaking Barriers event held in Wolverhampton, is qualified to referee Women’s Championship matches and run the line in Women’s Super League games, as well as officiating in men’s Saturday League games. Still in his 20’s, Aaron has come on leaps and bounds as he continues to grow in his profession, owing in part to his abundant optimism.

Aaron, who describes himself as an extrovert, explains the many perks of the job that he enjoys. “Refereeing entitles me to meet new people, work with new teams while visiting new places and seeing more of the country. It’s a buzz that I could be anywhere in the country.”

Despite his enthusiasm, he is under no illusions of the complexity of the job. “It’s underrated the amount of skills and qualities you need to be a referee. Teamwork with your own team, communication with players, decision making, being able to understand emotions and empathy for the game.”

Having already refereed at a high level in the women’s game, Aaron has been thrust into the spotlight, with cameras following his every decision, however he has been able to remove himself from the pressure.

Refereeing entitles me to meet new people, work with new teams while visiting new places and seeing more of the country

“When I actually get on the field of play, nothing changes for me – it’s just a game of football, no matter if I’m refereeing in front of 5000 or 200 people, it’s a game of football and I deal with what’s in front of me. The build-up is different but the game itself isn’t.”

Whilst Aaron’s aptitude for the profession is impressive, what stands out more is that he is achieving so much in an industry in which Black people are underrepresented, something which he believes is slowly changing for the better.

Aaron, who is a “great believer that things filter down” points to the recent successes of fellow officials that have reached the heights of officiating at the top of the game as trailblazers that could be instrumental in changing perceptions.

He adds: “You’re seeing people in the Premier League at the minute like Sam Allison and Akil Howson that are showing that it is possible for different ethnicities and people from different backgrounds to be able to make it to the top stage and that wasn’t there years ago which perhaps may have put people off refereeing.’

Aaron believes that it is barriers to entry that have been the biggest issue, as those who have made it so far are very worthy of their positions. “These people are actually really good at their job and are just being given a shot which they may not have been given previously.” This gives Aaron confidence in his own abilities, as it “entices me to think ‘hold on a minute I’m actually here for a reason because I know I’m good enough as well – it feels like it’s all coming together for the right reason’.”

This is why Aaron believes events such as Breaking Barriers are vital to showcase what is possible for people from all backgrounds. “To see people from the community engaging and perhaps seeing panellists who sit a little more like them, who resonate a little bit more with them, that to me is really important because 5-10 years ago opportunities and events like that would simply not have been in place.”

He went on to explain that this “showcases what the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) are working towards. We’re not there yet but we’re definitely making great strides towards our objectives. Now is the time where people are looking up and thinking ‘wow there is a different sort of referee here which I’ve not really seen before, it could be an opportunity for me.’”

The future is certainly looking brighter for those from diverse backgrounds that wish to take up the whistle. Aaron, who is still in his formative years and looking to push on even further, is proud of the impact that he is having and is hopeful that his experiences can help others down the line.

“We’re in that transition period. Five years ago I didn’t really have anybody to look up to as a trailblazer as this wasn’t in place,” he summarised.

“There is an element of people who could look up at me as they possibly did at the Breaking Barriers event. This is a really good and important time to be an inspiration to others.”