The Western Region Academy of Sport is proud to announce the inclusion of officiating as a new program for 2009/2010.

Officials are the forgotten backbone of the sporting world. Officials often work very hard at their sport but are only drawn to our attention when a mistake is made. Without referees and officials sport as we know it would cease to exist. This is why WRAS has taken the initiative and introduced a program to train and nurture young and talented officials from the western region.

Officials were selected on the basis of recommendations from State Sporting Organisations. The officials from around the western region that were selected for the program are:

Aminta Barby (netball), Emily Brady (hockey), Andrew Brown (hockey), Ben Castlehouse (basketball), Laura Dickenson (hockey), Tye Evans (basketball), Shaun Hildebrandt ( football ), Chloe Potts (hockey), Danielle van Kemenade (netball) and Saan Williamson (netball).

Coordinator of the officiating program is National Basketball Association referee Peter Wright. Peter regularly officiates in the NBL and also the WNBL. Peter recently received the 2009 award for Waratah Australian Basketball League Referee of the year, the award came on the back of his performance in the National Basketball Association grand final

Nathan Pearce and Tony Wilds from Bathurst have been appointed as the two satellite coaches. Nathan has been officiating ruby union since 1998, and has refereed 70 first grade matches, including super 14 games, NSW 1st grade games, and two international test matches. Nathan is up for selection for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Tony is currently president of the Bathurst Football Referees Association, and has refereed football from local level up to State League Division One. Tony is also a State Graded Touch Football referee and an active member of the Sydney Cricket Association 1st grade panel.