Name: Tony
Ambrose
Born in Christchurch in August 1951
Occupation: Assistant Principal, Shirley
Boys High School
Married to Mary-Anne since 1975
Children: Mark
(18)
Hobbies: Reading, golf, sometimes gardening
Football/Referee
History:
Began
refereeing in Timaru in 1976; NZ Badge in 1980; involved in old Southern League and did some National League Lines before
retiring in mid -1980s due to a health problem. Got roped in to assessing and
coaching then. Enjoyed that so much that when the health problems were over in 1986 I stuck with it.
Was for
many years the Southern Region Regional Referee Coach.
Past
President of Otago SRA and Canterbury SRA.
Currently
Mainland Federation rep on NZ Soccer Referees Committee and thus chairperson of Mainland Referees Committee.
Currently
also a National League Referee Inspector.
Have
also coached school sides for about 30 years.
1st
X1 coach at Shirley BHS since 1988 currently Assistant Coach (ie. Semi-retired the kids have got faster and I have got slower!)
Since
2000 I have also been Tour Leader and Manager of the New Zealand Secondary Schools National team and am taking them to Europe in
April 2004. We are also hosting, in Christchurch, a
two test series against the Australian National side in the September holidays.
Why I
became a Referee:
Love
of the game and my job meant that I could no longer train with a club side and I wanted to keep an active involvement in the
game. Very early on I realized the enjoyment and comradeship of refereeing.
Highlights:
National
League lines, National League inspecting, Presidency of Canterbury and Otago, Regional Coaching, being involved with NZSRC;
helping referees progress up the ranks, the many friends I have made through refereeing
