Women’s Super League referee Georgia Ball recently kindly visited the HUB to take part in a Q&A session attended by Chesterfield FC Women players.
The official, who is a fan of the Spireites, spoke about her careers so far, overcoming barriers and adversity as well speaking of the importance of female roles within the game.
Speaking exclusively to 1866 Sport, she said: “I think it’s always good to come in and talk to the players having been a player myself at Chesterfield. It’s always nice to talk to the girls.
“I’ve done a few bits with them now and they are always very receptive, really engaged and ask plenty of questions.
“So, it’s nice to see them interested to know about reffing and they always stay for a chat after. It shows that they are showing interest and it’s good to get them interested in refereeing.
“As a referee, we only want more people involved in refereeing. Like I said to the girls, I think referees are seen as people who just turns up to do a job whereas we are a team as well.”
Georgia was part of the team of officials that took charge of the Women’s Super League fixture between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Ethiad Stadium earlier this month.
The game was shown live on Sky Sports with over 40,000 in the ground and the referee still has loftier ambitions in mind.
“It’s obviously massive,” she said. “I said to the girls that it is like a player finding out they are going and doing a big game in a cup final. For us as a team of officials it’s massive and it comes with a lot of pressure.
“Everyone has got to aspire to be better and it’s difficult to get better than the Manchester Derby at the Ethiad, but the international stage is something that’s my end goal.
Georgia is a life-long Chesterfield fan and spoke about her willingness to help out her hometown club, saying: “My whole family have been involved in the club since I’ve was born and before. I always enjoy coming back.
“I’m always happy to do stuff for the club as they have looked after me over the years.”
The Lionesses’ Euros win in the summer has done wonders for the women’s game in term of popularity and engagement.
It also saw the side clean up at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards and continue to spread the message of the ever-growing side of football.
The Chesterfield referee spoke highly of the Lionesses and how their achievements are going to spark the next generation in women’s football.
Georgia said: “I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by those players week in, week out and what they have done for women’s football is incredible.
“The interest in women’s football and that’s playing, refereeing and coaching, I think it has really come on. Hopefully people carry on being engaged.
“Clubs like this pushing stuff like me coming and doing chats or women in football events is really going to help people keep engaged.”
