Australian Assistant Referees Allyson Flynn and Sarah Ho have been offered scholarship funding through the FIFA Goal Project.
The FIFA Goal Project is managed by FFA’s Women’s Football Development Manager Sarah Walsh with the funding assisting Allyson and Sarah with their preparation for the Women’s World Cup which started this week in Canada.
Speaking on the scholarship Allyson said: “The preparation for the World Cup has been very detailed. It has included seminars in Doha, Zurich and Canada, involving both theoretical and practical sessions. The scholarship has assisted me to ensure I am technically, physically and mentally ready for the tournament.”
As part of the scholarship program Allyson and Sarah will also have opportunities to share their experiences from the World Cup with young female referees and become mentors to female referees in FFA’s National Talent Pool.
Both officials were also appointed to the 2011 tournament where they, along with Australian referee Jacqui Hurford, officiated the Quarter Final fixture between Brazil and USA.
Sarah’s selection marks her third FIFA World Cup appointment, following on from the 2007 and 2011 tournaments and she spoke enthusiastically about the tournament: “Being selected for a World Cup is a great honour and I can’t wait to start the tournament.”
Speaking about the importance of FIFA Goal Project, Sarah Walsh said: “There's a real focus on female participation and we have some really strong numbers across playing, coaching and refereeing. Allyson and Sarah are excellent role models and the FIFA Goal Project will provide opportunities for them to share their experiences from the World Cup and inspire the next generation of young female referees.”