One of Pembrokeshire’s top football referees is aiming to improve his fitness even further with the help of the county’s leisure centres.
Jonathan Twigg of Portfield Gate of Haverfordwest is one of 60 match officials in Wales earmarked to be involved in the new slimmed-down Principality Welsh Premier League which kicks off on 14th August.
The new league – which includes Haverfordwest County – has been cut from 18 clubs to 12 in a bid to improve the standard of football and make the most of current investment.
At the same time the Football Association of Wales (FAW) has drawn up a list of 60 elite referees and assistants to officiate in the new championship. They hope this move will not only raise the standard of refereeing but also improve the fitness of match officials.
To mark Jonathan’s elevation to this elite list, Pembrokeshire Leisure – the leisure arm of Pembrokeshire County Council – has awarded him corporate membership allowing him the benefit of all the facilities at the county’s six leisure centres
Jonathan, vice-chairman, secretary and training officer of the Pembrokeshire Referees Society, is the only local match official to be at Level Four referee status for this season, and is already a regular customer of Pembrokeshire Leisure.
“All referees at the higher level have to pass vigorous fitness tests” he explained. “This includes a series of sprints culminating in six 40 metre sprints to be completed in no more than 6.2 seconds.
“I am training at least five times a week using Pembrokeshire Leisure fitness facilities and accessing fitness advice from the highly qualified team at the Haverfordwest centre and FAW fitness advisor, Ray Ellingham.
“I am extremely grateful to Pembrokeshire Leisure with the offer of a corporate membership and will certainly encourage my colleagues to join the scheme and take advantage of this great offer.”
Julie Collings, Pembrokeshire Leisure’s marketing and development co-ordinator, said she hoped Jonathan would be the first of many sporting figures in Pembrokeshire to take advantage of the corporate membership package on offer.
Any sporting club interested should contact Julie on 01437 775461.
