This contribution was written by Referee Manager Robert Kieboom
From June 30 to July 9, 51 Masters (veterans) teams in 4 age categories (35+, 40+, 45+, 50+ M/F) played during the European Masters Championship 2023. Over 175 matches were played on five fields and 38 referees visited Nottingham to officiate the matches. Axitour Communication Solutions supported the referees and provided them with the latest generation AXIWI communication systems; for this tournament, 20 complete AXIWI AT-350 sets, charging stations, and headsets were made available.
“Rob listened in on two of my matches and heard how I communicated with the other referees. He gave me valuable tips to use the communication set even more effectively. It gave me more confidence and I was nominated for one of the finals!”
Clear communication
Referee Manager Robert Kieboom (NED) was responsible for distributing the sets and explaining to the referees how to use them effectively.
Referee Nicolas White (ENG) said: “The AXIWI communication systems that Rob brought to this tournament were of high quality; the volume was easy to adjust, there was no interference between the fields and the system was very user-friendly. Also, the audio output was at a high level so you could hear every word from your colleague or the reserve referee well, even with background noise. The Dutch referees were very helpful because they were already familiar with using the AXIWI systems. I am considering purchasing a set for our national competition in England.”
Referee development
Referee Kathy Feart (NZL) on using AXIWI: “In New Zealand, we mainly use earpiece receivers for communication, but this is a one-way system. An assessor or referee coach cannot listen in. At this tournament, we as referees randomly worked together with AXIWI, which allowed me to grow well during the tournament. Rob listened in on two of my matches and heard how I communicated with the other referees. He gave me valuable tips to use the communication set even more effectively. It gave me more confidence and I was nominated for one of the finals! I will never forget this experience and the wonderful people I met.
Better decisions
The hockey teams were also enthusiastic that all referees worked with the AXIWI communication system. It helped the referees make better decisions and be more aware of difficult situations. Thanks again to AXITOUR BV for sponsoring this tournament and the referees. It made this European Championship unique in its kind.
Referee Manager Robert Kieboom
Wireless referee communication system
In sports, including at amateur level, it is increasingly common for multiple referees in a team to officiate a match. For effective communication between referees, AXITOUR introduced the wireless, hands-free referee communication system. The AXIWI communication system is very affordable compared to its competitors: other brands are 3 to 6 times more expensive! Meanwhile, AXIWI is successfully used in sports such as handball, korfball, basketball, football, hockey, volleyball, baseball, water polo, rugby, ice hockey, and floorball.
