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Football-keen Dewsbury teen eager to display refereeing skills
They're used to taking flak from football fans but that hasn't stopped teenager Lucas Ainsbury.
Even the slogan "Got the balls to referee a football game?" didn't put the 15-year-old off training for the post at West Riding Junior County Football Association.
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Lucas says he will never make a professional footballer so he's set his sights on a career that could keep him in the game for life.
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Now he's appealing to youth football clubs to recruit him as their referee so that he can start gaining experience after qualifying last month.
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Lucas, of Crown Close, Chickenley, Dewsbury, said: "I haven't done my first game yet -– I just finished my course about two months ago at the West Riding Junior County. They were all various ages but I was one of the youngest ones."
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A life-long Leeds United fan, Lucas first started playing at seven for Thornhill FC before moving onto Ossett Albion who he still plays for.
He said: "I like football and I know I am not going to be a professional because I am not good enough but I want to keep involved in football and make sure everyone else has a good game."
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Despite his modesty, Lucas has still bagged a number of trophies and medals during his time playing football. This weekend will see him experiencing another side of the game for the first time.
"There's a game coming on Sunday, a semi-final and I will be linesman to get some experience."
The Horbury High School pupil hopes it will be his career path once he leaves school, adding: "That would be a great job to do."
John Riordan, governance manager from West Riding Junior County, said there is a massive shortage of referees of all ages.
He told the YEP: "You have got to be 14 years old and over. If Lucas has qualified, he's only allowed to referee junior football so that's under 16s. He now has got to go and offer his services to any junior leagues in his area. Once he gets to 16, he can referee open age football so it can be adults as well."
He added: "We don't have enough referees to referee every game. We have a shortage full stop and we desperately need more."
For more information contact The Referees Department on 0113 282 1222 or email info@wrcfa.com.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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