Football Queensland is excited to announce FIFA video match official and 2019 ASEAN Football Federation Female Referee of the Year, Kate Jacewicz, as a speaker and panellist at the upcoming Referee Convention to be held on Saturday, 2 November, and Sunday, 3 November as part of the inaugural Queensland Football Convention.
“Kate is a true trailblazer in global football officiating, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the 2024 Referee Convention as both a speaker and a panellist,” FQ Manager – Referee Development Mark Simon-Green said.
“Since becoming a FIFA referee in 2011, Kate’s career has been filled with significant achievements, including at the highest levels of the game both nationally and internationally across both the men’s and women’s game. She has also helped to pave the way for the next generation of female referees, empowering them to see themselves in the sport.”
At the convention, Kate Jacewicz will participate in the panel ‘Level the Playing Field – Advancing Women in Refereeing’ alongside other pioneering female leaders in officiating, in addition to delivering a session titled ‘Best Position to Make a Decision’, where she will discuss how to build stronger pathways for emerging referees and share strategies to optimise decision-making on the field.
Jacewicz’s career highlights include officiating at two FIFA Women’s World Cups, with her most recent experience in Australia and New Zealand, as well as being selected for the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games. She has also refereed the Final of the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and became the first female to referee an A-League Men’s match in 2020.
Since officially retiring from the FIFA International Referee List in 2023, Jacewicz currently takes on the role of an official FIFA Video Match Official and is actively involved in Football Australia’s Community Referee department, where she is focused on developing the referee qualification curriculum.
Attendees of the convention will gain practical insights from Jacewicz’s extensive experience in high-performance officiating, equipping them with strategies to enhance their skills on the field, while her dedication to advancing women in the sport will inspire both current and aspiring referees and football participants as they navigate their careers within football.
Further announcements of additional speakers for the Queensland Football Convention will be released soon.
In addition to the convention sessions, the Queensland Football Convention will also include a cocktail networking event at the Sunset Lounge at Suncorp Stadium for Brisbane Roar Men’s home opener against Sydney FC on Friday, 1 November, and the Football in Queensland Awards Night at Brisbane City Hall.
Tickets are on sale now for the 2024 Queensland Football Convention.
