Rugby Southland Referees Strategic Plan "To 2020 and Beyond"

Rugby Southland Referees

     Strategic Plan

 “To 2020 and Beyond”

SBS Rugby Southland Referees Strategic Plan “To 2020 and Beyond!”

Introduction

In 2017 the SBS Bank Rugby Southland Referees Board of Management recognised that the Board
needed a strategic direction for the recruitment and retention of referees.
During this discussion, it was evident that SBS Bank Rugby Southland Referees needed a broader
strategic plan to focus our energies and resources for the years ahead. This strategic plan is timely
in that it has been almost 20 years since the Rules of Rugby Southland Referees were changed in
1998 and refereeing in Southland celebrates its 125th jubilee in 2019.

The draft of this plan was developed after:
    conducting focus groups and surveying members of Rugby Southland Referees
    holding meetings with representatives of Rugby Southland and New Zealand Rugby
    research on strategic plans formulated by other rugby referee associations
    workshop sessions with Rugby Southland Referee Education Officer Kirk Rae

This draft is released for consultation by the Board of Management to our members, active
referees and referee coaches, Rugby Southland, NZ Rugby and our major sponsors SBS Bank and
Cruickshank Pryde. I welcome your input into this draft and look forward to making this a plan that
all members of Rugby Southland Referees can be proud of.

Nathan Lyall
Chairman
Rugby Southland Referees

Overview

Per Rugby Southland Referees 1998 constitution, the objectives of Rugby Southland Referees are:
     To assist in the development, promotion and enjoyment of rugby.
     To assist Rugby Southland in upholding the laws of rugby.
     To institute and maintain such procedures as will promote rugby refereeing at all levels
       within Southland.
     To administer and control rugby refereeing in the province of Southland.

Purpose

Rugby Southland Referees administer and control rugby refereeing in Southland, to assist in the
development, promotion and enjoyment of rugby.

Values

        Integrity
        Passion
        Teamwork
        Discipline
        Respect

Vision

To be an example of excellence in a rugby refereeing organisation in the 21st century.

We will achieve this by the quality and continual improvement of our:
    Membership
    Governance
    Match officials
    Coaches, Assessors and Selectors
    Training and Development Programmes
    High Performance Match Officials
    Use of technology

Membership:

Our membership will be fully engaged with Rugby Southland Referees (RSR) to show personal
growth to continue to meet the needs of RSR and our stakeholders. We will identify, recruit and
retain the best people to develop them in to the best referees, coaches and administrators.

Targets

The following targets will enable us to measure whether we are achieving our goal.
        Satisfaction: 80% of members satisfied with RSR (measured annually)
    Participation : Growth in attendance at RSR events
    Recruitment: 16 new active referees (target derived from REO Recruitment and Retention
        Plan)
    Retention: 80% of members retained annually (target derived from REO Recruitment and
        Retention Plan)

Responsibility
Unless an individual role is specifically assigned to an action, the Chairman of the Rugby Southland
Referees Board of Management (BoM) will be responsible for the following actions and achieving
these targets.

Actions
     Approve and help implement an annual recruitment and retention plan developed by the
       Referee Education Officer (REO).
     Promote a sense of teamwork and togetherness of members in belonging to RSR.
     Actively recognise the contribution of our members to RSR in a timely and consistent
       manner.
     Actively seek opportunities to engage with our members through social activity.
     Actively engage with our members to gather their requirements and gain feedback on RSR
       performance.

Examples of engaging with RSR members, recognition and social activities:
    Annual surveys
    Looking after our membership
    Support from REO and Board of Management at judicial hearings
    Develop individual learning and development plans for High Potential Referees
    Provide refereeing uniforms, ties for first senior game, blazers for 50/100 senior games
    Recognition for significant achievements
    Reimburse portion of travel expenses
    Referee passes to Mitre 10 Cup games
    Improving sideline behaviour – code of conduct for coaches
    Awards night
    Recognising Life Members

Governance:

Board of Management
RSR has strong governance that reflects RSR's goals

Targets
Satisfaction: 80% of members satisfied with the performance of Board of Management

Responsibility
Unless an individual role is specifically assigned to an action, the Board of Management will be
collectively responsible for the following actions and achieving these targets.

Actions
     Consistently demonstrate behaviour and performance that reflects a quality not-for-profit
       Board including inclusiveness and board solidarity.
     Demonstrate transparency, consistency, timeliness in all aspects of governance.
     Actively engage with all our stakeholders to gather their requirements, identify gaps and
       gain feedback on the Board's performance.
     Actively identify potential candidates (inside and outside of RSR) and provide a pathway to
       being a Board member, to increase the quality of candidates for the Board.

Examples of best practices:
    Board of Management roles are well defined
    Board members are well qualified and suitably trained for their roles
    RSR Members know who members of BoM are and their roles
    Succession plans are in place for various Board roles
    BoM proactive in relationships with stakeholders – sponsors, Rugby Southland
    Transparency – BoM provides meeting reports to members
    The Board practices sound financial management, there are policies and procedures in
      place to reflect this.

Match officials

Referees and Assistant Referees

“Referees apply the Laws of Rugby in such a way as to as to ensure the Game is played according to
the principles of play. The referee and their assistants can achieve this through fairness,
consistency, sensitivity and at the highest levels, management.”

Our match officials will perform at a standard required by RSR and our stakeholders and we will
recognise quality, consistent performance and address poor performance.

Targets

         Various panel criteria reviewed and published at the beginning of each season
         Law – 50% active referees sit exam annually (National target 30%)
              o Honours pass for candidates achieving 90%+
              o Excellence pass – for candidates achieving 80-89%
              o Merit Pass – for candidates achieving 75-79%
              o Achieved Pass – candidates achieving 70-74%
         Referees appointed to all Southlandwide competition games from Under 13 to Premier
          (Presidents as available)

Responsibility
Unless otherwise stated the Chairman of the Referee Development Unit will be responsible for the
following actions:

         Demonstrate transparency and consistency in all appointments and interchanges
          (appointments officer)
         Demonstrate adherence to a clear criteria for selection and continued participation –
          Premier, Senior, Intermediate etc
         Ensure each match official is clear on where they sit in panel and what steps they need to
          take to develop further
         There are pathways and opportunities for development that is only limited by individuals
          demonstrated abilities.
         Actively engage with stakeholders to identify specific and general areas of improvement for
          match officials.

Coaches, assessors, selectors

Referee Development Unit

Our coaches, assessors and selectors will be suitably qualified and support our match officials.

Targets
Quality: suitably trained coaches with current qualifications
All active referees viewed and contacted by a referee coach annually
Recruitment: Target ratio of referee coaches of 1:5 (1 referee coach for every 5 “fully active”
referees)
Retention: 80% of coaches retained
Satisfaction: 80% of members satisfied with quality of coaches, assessors and selectors

Responsibility
Unless otherwise stated the Chairman of the Referee Development Unit will be responsible for the
following actions:

Actions
     Clear communication by RDU and Referee Coaches to members
     Coach, grade and appoint referees in Southland (RDU Members)
     Demonstrate transparency and consistency in all aspects of coach and selector selection
       and continued participation.
     Actively engage with RSR and Stakeholders to understand their coaching and selector
       requirements, identify any gaps and gain their feedback on the quality of our coaches and
       selectors.
     Actively promote and participate in Referee Coach training and development programs
     Seek opportunities to deliver timely performance feedback to our Match Officials.
     Actively identify potential candidates (inside and outside the RSR) for referee selector,
       assessor or coach roles to increase the number of quality referee selectors, assessors and
       coaches within RSR.

Training and Development Programmes

Our training and development programmes will support our Match Official's goals.

Targets:
Deliver Training and Development meetings annually, as per REO training and development plan.
Satisfaction: 80% of members satisfied with the quality of the training programme.
Grow attendance at Training and Development meetings by 10% annually
        2017 Invercargill average = 23
        2017 Gore average = 10

Responsibility
Referee Education Officer

Actions
     Deliver opportunities for our Match Officials to meet the appropriate level of fitness and
       skill for their panel and their future aspirations.
     Utilise Rugby Southland resources such as Strength and Conditioning trainer, Nutritionist
       etc
     Actively engage with our members to understand their development requirements, identify
       any gaps and gain their feedback on the quality of the training programme.
     Demonstrate consistency in our approach to match official development.
     Practical and theory training and development meetings – Weekly Invercargill, Fortnightly
       Gore during season. Interactive training and development sessions with “subject matter
       expert” presenters.
     Utilise technology.
     Alternate training and development meetings as required – Associate Referees and
       alternate locations.
     Provide quality coaching and selector programmes and tools that support the development
       of our Match Officials
     Seek opportunities for our coaches and selectors to grow their understanding and
       experience through interactions with other organisations, referee associations and
       interchanges.
     Provide training and development opportunity for those identified as potential referee
       selectors, assessors or coaches to increase the number of quality selectors, assessors and
       coaches within RSR.

Commentary
We will have comprehensive training programmes for those members who wish to grow their
referee skills, capability and seek promotion through the panels.

High Performance Match Officials

RSR will identify, develop and deliver potential future High Perfomance Match Officials in a manner
that reflects the aspirations of the Association. We want our High Potential Match Officials to
meet or exceed the expectations of the Association and its Stakeholders. This means we need to
ensure they are the best in our Association and they are sought after by NZ Rugby.

Targets:
Performance: High Potential Match Officials sighted or nominated for higher duties (beyond our
Association)
Compliance: High Potential Match Officials will meet or exceed all NZ Rugby Referee
requirements.
Law Exam = Pass with excellence (80%+), Fitness standards = Yoyo 18.1 (Men), 16.1 (Women).

Responsibility
Referee Education Officer

Actions
     To best prepare our referees to cope in the High Performance environment
     Actively review the success of our development programme against other similar
       programmes.
     Demonstrate transparency in all appointments and interchanges including publishing the
       criteria for selection.
     Demonstrate adherence to a clear criteria for selection and continued participation.
     Actively engage with our High Potential Match Officials to establish pathways for each
       member, identify any gaps and gain feedback on performance.
     Provide a clear pathway for development up to Wider Training Group nomination and
       ensure promising candidates have the support they need to launch at national level
     Actively engage with NZ Rugby to ensure our match officials are being developed in a
       manner that encourages higher duties.
     Actively seek opportunities to promote our match officials to NZ Rugby.
     Actively seek opportunities to develop our High Potential Match Officials in other
       programmes like Academy Southland.
     Seek out feedback on High Potential Match Official performance from Rugby Southland and
       NZ Rugby.

Commentary
We always seek and develop candidates that are capable of higher duties and ensure their
pathway through the panels is transparent.

Technology:

We recognise that technology plays a key role in 21st century. We need to identify and use
technology in delivering to the needs of our membership. This may require further investment
from the Board of Management.

Responsibility
Referee Education Officer and Board of Management

Actions

The BOM actively identifies the needs of members and how technology can be adapted to those
needs.

Examples of how technology may be utilised:
    Video recording of game situations, editing and then providing feedback to referees and
      coaches.
    Ultra-fast broadband and wireless internet in the SBS Bank Referees Lounge, allowing
      members access to high speed internet.
    A technology suite in the SBS Bank Referees Lounge to aid in learning and development.

Referee Education Officer will be responsible for :
    Web based applications – website development
    Individual learning and development plans
    Email Communication to members
    Social Media : Facebook