REFEREES’ ASSOCIATION REFEREES CORNER
ENGLISH POOL
We are "the men and women in the middle" who make sure the rules of the game are observed by the players and spectators alike. We referee frames from local league pool to high profile events like the World Championships.
We referee pool for a number of bodies: World Eightball Pool Federation European 8Ball Pool Federation Int. Professional Pool Players Association English Pool Association CIU
Clubs for Young People
A history of the EPRA In the late summer/early autumn of 1980 the Secretary of the English Pool Association (EPA) made it known to its member leagues that they needed qualified referees.
The Secretary went on to say that they were looking to run competitions with entry fees and prize money, so qualified Referees would be essential. The Home Internationals were due to be held in the November, and the EPA was expected to supply the Referees. In order to fulfil this need, the EPA decreed that an examination was to be held at the Crest Hotel Coventry on 4th October 1980. The top four Referees would be invited to officiate at the Home Internationals. They, along with the others passing the examination,would forman Association of Referees.
The examination took place with 33 candidates, 13 of these were successful, and each one received a letter of congratulations and a certificate of merit. From these 13, the English Pool Referees Association (EPRA) was formed.
The first General Meeting of the EPRA was held in November 1981. As the EPA expanded its influence, it formed a structure throughout England which matches the EPA regional structure.
The EPRA decided to introduce a grading structure based upon experience and ability,
36 with annual membership fees set accordingly.
Joining the EPRA In order to become a member of our Association prospective candidates have to complete a written and practical exam set by our Association.
Why youmight ask do we have an examset so hard that only a handful of people ever pass. Our view is that we regard quality higher than quantity. Our referees are without doubt among the best in the refereeing world and they are the envy of the rest of theWorld.
Our Association classes all referees in bands according to experience and accumulated knowledge both of the rules and events, the bands are S and A through to E. E grade referees are the ones who have passed a short multiple choice exam. D grade referees are the ones who have just passed the main exam and are learning the ropes or have sat the examjust to say "I am a qualified referee". The next three grades relate to varying levels of ability. The pinnacle of a referee’s ambition is to be classed as an A grade referee. At this level you couldwell find yourself being asked the referee at the World Championships or a whole host of other professional events.
All referees are constantly monitored to make sure they are at the top of the level to which they referee at, and to ensure that our Association's standards as a whole do no drop from the exceptionally high level we have set ourselves, be that level local league or the World Championships.
To find out more about the EPRA please see out website
www.epra8ball.org.uk
If you would like to ask any questions about the EPRA or about the playing rules of the World Eight Ball Association, please email
rules@epra8ball.org.uk. A selection of your questions will be answered in the next issue of this magazine.
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