Victorian Gridiron Officials Association Incorporated

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ASSOCIATION BACKGROUND

VGOA BACKGROUND

The VGOA was established in Melbourne, Australia in 1986 when full contact American Football (Gridiron) commenced being played.  The sport was administered by the Victorian Gridiron Football League from its inception in 1987 to 1996, and thereafter by a new body, Gridiron Victoria, which formally introduced a junior competition.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OFFICIATING POSITIONS

OFFICIALS SIGNALS

VGOA consists of a small group of people, from a range of backgrounds, dedicated to ensuring that the sport is played to the spirit and intent of rules.  The game is played under American college rules, the only variation being a small change to the timing of the game (12 minute quarters being used as opposed to the regulation 15 minutes).

ACTIVE OFFICIALS STATS

BECOMING AN OFFICIAL

CURRENT SEASON SCHEDULE

PUBLICATIONS

CONTACT US

The VGOA uses the junior competition as a training ground for new officials and to improving the skills of existing officials.  Junior matches are generally less taxing on officials than senior games and give us the opportunity to introduce new officials to the sport in a more relaxed environment and the chance for our returning officials to try out new positions.

LINKS

The VGOA gratefully accepts the services of team officials (personnel provided from the teams themselves) to assist us with the management of our games.

This year Gridiron Victoria, our state league, has opted for a return to a winter competition, the senior season kicking off on 17 April, with Vicbowl XX, our championship game, slated for 8 August. Seven teams are involved this year and, in a new move by the league, matches are run on both Saturdays and Sundays of most weekends.

RECENT EVENTS

2003 SENIORS The senior season concluded at Croydon on Sunday 17 August with Vicbowl XIX.  Before a significant crowd of bi-partisan supporters the underdog Berwick Miners proved too good for the Croydon Rangers taking out the match 36-28.  2003 JUNIORS - SPRING Concluded on November 30 with the Berwick Miners taking the Championship trophy. 2004 SENIORS As mentioned above, kicked off on Saturday, 17 April.  Refer to GV's site (from our links page) for more details.

EVENTS ARCHIVE...

AT A NATION LEVEL...

Friendly matches with New Zealand In February 2004 Victoria hosted the New Zealand Senior and Junior squads.  Each side played against their respective Victorian squads under trying conditions at Town Park in Croydon.  With temperatures nudging 35 degrees the Kiwi sides proved too good for the Victorians to take out both matches.  The Kiwi's baffled the defences with their strong running attacks which relied in multiple running backs positioned behind their centre as opposed to a single quaterback. Both games were played in excellent spirits, the Victorian squads looking forward to a rematch in the not too distant future AGOA All VGOA officials are members of the Australian Gridiron Officials Association, our national officiating body.  AGOA is committed to providing world class officials for gridiron in this country and currently provides national representation for officials in four states (Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland) and the ACT.  AGOA has developed an extensive training and accreditation program for gridiron officials, the program is used by the state officiating bodies to train their personnel from rookie (level 0) through to the senior ranks (levels 3 and 4). Tony Martin, VGOA's training officer, ventured to New Zealand in July 2003 to officiate in the Australia / New Zealand test match series held in Auckland. Tony was fortunate to get a spot on the officiating crew for the Junior test match and also attended a number of officiating clinics put on by Dick Honig (a senior US college official).  Tony's trip gave him the opportunity of visiting and working with our New Zealand compatriates and also pick up many useful tips in the training sessions, his feedback on the event was extremely positive. GA The sport is overseen nationally by Gridiron Australia, which is coordinating both junior and senior championship tournaments, planned to occur in alternate years.  The next national tournament will involve the senior state squads in March 2005.  For more information jump to the Gridiron Australia website from our Links page.