Louisa Wall: Refs in it for love of the game

During the week I heard a call for officials to be just nameless/faceless referees. I find this perspective rather ridiculous.

Most of these people love the sport as intensely as the players and coaches, so to reduce them to objective, unemotional elements of the game is just not sport.

As an ex-sportswoman I have always wondered what motivates top referees and I remember seeing a documentary last year which provided the answer from the mouths of three of New Zealand's top officials, one of whom was Brent "Watch Me" Bowden.

And in light of his recent performances, it seems timely to share some of their thoughts.

I knew why I loved to play but what motivated a referee was beyond me.

I remember vividly an incident when I was 16 at a netball court in Tokoroa and my father screaming at the referee (who made a call he disagreed with) about getting her umpire's badge out of a Weetbix box. Needless to say, she stopped the game and told my father to leave the court before she resumed the match.

But we need referees (we have to have someone else to blame other than the size of the playing field and state of the pitch). They are essential for the game to occur.

Having independent adjudicators really does mean that it is a fair contest and the best performer will win within the rules.

But what is their "real" motivation? The "I couldn't be an All Black and this is as close as it gets" philosophy of our top rugby referee Paddy O'Brien (or something like that) is one take on it.

O'Brien was not bad at athletics and as a member of the national Police Olympics team, he took up refereeing to keep fit because he didn't want to get injured. Working in the police provided experience in dealing with conflict and this seemed ideal preparation, when refereeing became professional, to meet the demands of increased games.

And self-confessed remote controller referee Steve Walsh could have been an All Black but for a neck injury he sustained when he was 12.

He liked being a star on his own stage, so becoming a referee was something Walsh just loved; what an adrenaline rush, not to mention the honour of representing your country at the World Cup in 2003 as the youngest of 16 referees.

Then there is Bowden. Who is "Billy" Bowden? A breath of fresh air, a little bit different. Love him or not, he has a presence on the pitch and his repertoire of signals is un-matched.

Internationally, Billy is the youngest member of the elite panel of international cricket umpires. So, does he measure up on the paddock with such off-the-pitch credentials?

Commentators Ron Snowden and Bryan Waddle don't quite appreciate Billy; it is just not cricket for the umpire to scout for memorabilia after the game (which Billy does for his Dad). But what a great ambassador for the sport Billy is as typified by the children who love to imitate him.

Live and let live and each to their own, I say.

Just as Twenty20 cricket is an attempt to include a larger percentage of a younger audience, there is a place for the Billies of this world to express themselves as long as they make the right call.

So, Billy, you had better sort out those close decisions, mate, or you'll undermine not only the game but all that you have worked hard to create as an ambassador for the game.

Referees are considered the control freaks of sport and so they must be. We need strong, competent, passionate referees with integrity and from that sample we certainly contribute internationally.

And as summed up by Glenn Turner, making the right decision, that's all we care about.