The annual Female Football Week awards recognise players, coaches, administrators and referees at all levels for their contribution to #OurGame.
This year’s Referee of the Year is Sunshine Coast local Catalina Stylianou. After competing at national level in swimming and kayaking, she took up both refereeing and playing football four years ago, and hasn’t looked back since.
“When I started playing I saw that there was a need for referees, particularly on our female matches,” she recalled.
“I had never seen a female referee on our matches. So, when I heard about the opportunity to become a referee, I was very interested.”
The motivation to be what she couldn’t see as a young teenager has led her to now, at only 18, becoming a mentor for so many others on the Sunshine Coast and across Queensland in football and futsal refereeing.
Her nominator for the award said: “Catalina is a professional in everything she does and spends countless hours supporting new referees in their journey. She mentored my daughter and many others through their first matches and first years as a referee teaching them how to manage the game with integrity in respect.”
To make such an impression at such a young age speaks highly to Stylianou’s character and community spirit.
She couldn’t speak highly enough about the supportive community of referees in Queensland, and how she was never made to feel like her age or gender was a hindrance to achieving her goals.
“I think this is a prime time to be developing and working at the level that I am. I feel like a lot of referees who are very experienced are younger,” she explained.
“I have a lot of other female referees from mainly Brisbane that are the same age as me. It’s a really supportive and nice environment. That’s one of the main things I love about referees, we have such a good community in both futsal and football.
“It’s not just in your area. Where I’ve travelled for tournaments and state championships and stuff like that, you really grow great social networks with people from all over Queensland.”
She cited the girls state school championships in Cairns last year as a particularly rewarding learning experience. It was a springboard into her career highlight so far, taking centre stage for the NPL Queensland 2022 u14 girls semi-final.
“In Cairns, I was surrounded by a really encouraging and supportive group of female referees my age and also referee coaches,” she said.
“That made me confident, because that was before the semi-final. Having that support network is very helpful.”
Officiating a football match is a difficult and complex art. Referees have to juggle enforcing the rules while keeping the game flowing and ensuring that both teams leave the field safely. Stylianou’s take on her role as a referee is one of the things that ensures that, in the words of her nominator, she “misses nothing.”
“Personally, what I try and aim to do is keep the flow of play, rather than just enforce the rules,” she explained.
“I don’t want to impose myself as a major influence to the game. I just want to be someone who’s there to uphold the fairness and integrity and make sure all the players are staying safe.”
While most players would agree that this is a fair way to referee a match, like any match official, Stylianou has encountered arguments and hostility on the field. As a player herself, she said that she understands the passion that can ensue in the heat of battle – but respect is key.
“I think everyone just needs to understand that each other is human, and they make mistakes,” she said.
“It comes down from a higher level in the club, especially the influence that coaches have on their players. I’ve had some wonderful teams that are so respectful, they ask you what was involved in the decision rather than getting annoyed about it. After the game the coach is asking you about maybe what a card is for, instead of getting in your face. I definitely think that reflects onto the team.
“You just need to remember that at the end of the day it is just a game. We do need to be more caring and considerate of how hard we’re trying. 99% of the time, we are making the correct call, and the flow of the game is normal. That 1% might be a controversial penalty, and not everyone is always going to agree with your decision. That’s what I’m going to have to understand as well. Not everyone is going to like you or understand your decision.
“Keep the respect running. It goes both ways. I don’t try to impose myself on players like I’m the superior person – I’m just here to make sure everything is played safely. I’m trying my best.”
Like many football fans, Stylianou is excited the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup – she will be at every Brisbane game, of course! For her, the tournament presents an opportunity for women’s sport to become more normalised.
“I feel like it just opens up female football a bit more on a larger scale so that it’s more normalised to be a female referee. Or that when we’re playing in the women’s league, we’re more supported,” she said.
“I think the stereotype is that there is a very big difference between male and female football. I don’t think that’s the case, I just think that we play differently. Different strategies, different tactics.”
When summing up her thoughts on winning the award, in typical fashion, she pointed to her mentors and the refereeing community.
“I’m honoured by the award, and appreciate all the people who have helped along the way – they know who they are!”
