Ken Aston Camp 2016
Who was Ken Aston?
The Ken Aston Referee Camps are named after famed English referee Ken Aston, who refereed in the World Cup in 1962 and later chaired the FIFA Referees’ Committee for four years. He introduced the brightly-colored linesman (now Assistant Referee) flags into the game, brought in the red and yellow cards, and initiated the black referee uniform which is the predecessor of today’s referee kit.
Ken also was a great patron of AYSO and of the Ken Aston Referee Camps, serving as Camps Principal Instructor for 21 years until his death in 2001. Since his death, AYSO volunteers in Southern California have put on the Camps each year in his memory and to continue the tradition of excellence in training of AYSO referee volunteers.
What are the Ken Aston Referee Camps?
The Ken Aston Referee Camps are a residential weekend camp for AYSO referees held yearly at Chapman University in Orange, CA (near Disneyland in Southern California). This year they will take place on the weekend of June 24-26, 2016. Food and board are provided by the University and are included in the Camps registration fee. Attendees are immersed in soccer, day and night, for the duration of the camps.
The Camps provide AYSO training for referee upgrades, referee instructors, and referee assessors. AYSO referees can choose between the Intermediate, Advanced, and National Referee Courses. Instructors can take the Referee Instructor (including Introduction to Instruction) or Advanced Referee Instructor (including Referee Instructor Evaluator) Courses. Assessors can take the Referee Assessor or the National Referee Assessor Course.
Each year the Camps also bring in as Principal Instructor an accomplished professional referee or similar person to extend the experience and to interact personally with Camps attendees. In 2016, former FIFA Assistant Referee Kim Oberle will be returning for the second year after her very successful appearance last year.
Why should I attend the Camps?
The Camps feature some of the best instructors in AYSO. Each of the courses fulfills its appropriate upgrade training requirement, but it also includes additional content to help improve the Camps experience and enhance the attendees’ refereeing knowledge and skills. The Principal Instructor provides invaluable training and experience not available in other AYSO training courses. Attendees also interact and build lasting relationships with fellow volunteers from Southern California and around the country. Many attendees report that the total immersion in soccer and the interactions with their volunteer peers are of immense value.
Why should my Region support me to attend the Camps?
Referees who attend the Camps return to their region invigorated and enthused. They also bring back enhanced skills in refereeing, instructing, and assessing and contribute directly to the success of their Regions, both by actually refereeing games in the Region and by contributin to the development and motivation of their fellow volunteers.
How can I find out about and register for the Camps?
Information and online registration are available at the Camps website, www.kenastoncamps.org. Credit card payment is available. Regions are encouraged to support their referees in attending this extraordinary training opportunity.