Harpreet Arora provides an insight into his development and experiences so far in refereeing.

Name: Harpreet Arora

When did you qualify as a referee?
I qualified around 2016 as I knew I would be stepping away from coaching.

What are your early refereeing memories?
I found it quite an interesting experience transitioning from refereeing youth games to adult football.  It taught me that I required a different skill set to handle adults compared with youngsters.

Have you faced any challenges and how have you overcome them?
I haven’t really faced any direct challenges.  I enjoy attending the local monthly RA meetings where we can openly discuss and debate all things refereeing.

Do you have any career highlights to date?
I have been fortunate enough to referee a County Cup Final, a Leighton & District League Cup Final as well as run the line in several other cup finals. 

What skills have you learned through refereeing?
In my experience communication, being self-organised and teamwork are some of the most crucial aspects.  Essentially you need to be able to communicate with other match officials, managers and players. You need to be able to work as part of a team as that can be crucial to the success of a game.  Being self-organised means you know when you are available and not available and also know where you are going ahead of time along with what you need to take to a game!

Why did you take up refereeing?
To remain involved in football after coaching and to give something back to the game that I love.

Who is the biggest influence on your refereeing career?
I don’t really have anyone who has influenced me directly, but I always enjoyed watching Pierluigi Collina refereeing on TV.

What are your future goals and ambitions in refereeing?
To continue enjoying and refereeing for as long as I am able to.  We will see where the future takes us.

Do you support a football team?
I have been an avid supporter of Luton Town since 1981, so I have seen them play in the old First Division then go all the way down to the Football Conference (through no fault of their own!), and now all the way back up again to the Premier League.  COYH!

Each month, Bedfordshire FA will celebrate the hard work of individuals and clubs. The Spotlight feature will give you an insight into the various roles that are held within football. These will include a range of volunteers, referees, clubs and those making football happen behind the scenes.