Mission Statement
The mission of the Midwest Rugby Referee Society (MWRRS) is to provide assistance and support to its member referee societies (LROs – Local Referee Organizations) and the referees within those societies through training, education, development and identification of talented rugby referees in order that rugby teams playing in the Midwest Rugby Football Union territory will have the benefit of referees skilled at or above the pertinent level of competition. The MWRRS will further identify, train, educate, develop and promote those referees exhibiting exceptional ability to the territorial panel with the intent of offering to USA Rugby a continual supply of referees able to referee national level matches.
Member Societies
An LRO in the Midwest Rugby Football Union territory is defined as a group of World Rugby and USA Rugby Certified referees supporting a geographically defined group of rugby teams. To be considered an LRO, the group must have a suitable organizational structure and personnel to organize, recruit, train, retain and develop their referee membership to skill levels equal to or greater than the skill levels of the teams it supports. LROs working collaboratively with the Midwest Rugby Referee Society also facilitates a pathway for further development of talented individuals who have potential to referee higher level matches. Each LRO is also expected to have enough referees to support the needs of the teams in its area. Should an LRO find that it does meet the needs of its area, or that it has excess referees available to support other LROs, support from or to Football Union territory will continually abide by the current provisions, requirements, restrictions and standards as set forth and adopted by the MWRRS, including, but not limited to, USA Rugby and World Rugby certification and training requirements.. The current Midwest LROs and primary areas of coverage are:
- Allegheny – New York, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania
- CARFU – Chicago, NW Indiana, and Illinois
- Iowa – Iowa
- Indiana – Indiana, SE Illinois
- Michigan – Michigan, N. Indiana, and NW Ohio
- MidSouth – Arkansas, S. Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky
- Minnesota – Minnesota, North Dakota, N. Iowa
- Ohio – Ohio, SE Indiana
- Wisconsin – Wisconsin, Michigan U.P.
Meet the MWRRS Team
Chair, Josh Houston
Treasurer, Donald Taylor
Appointments, David Carter
Referee Coaching, Billy Koval
Referee Development, Fred Thomas
Referee Education, Harry Laws