We focus on grassroots development and education, both to create a continuous supply of referees AND to educate members (including all Shodan candidates) about local, national, and International Judo Federation rules.
To that end, CENCO requires attendance at a Referee Clinic for all Shodan promotions.
In addition to the minimum requirement of clinic attendance, we also offer a certification program which requires taking a written test and a practical evaluation during a tournament. Referee candidates are classified on a sliding scale from “Dojo only” which means you can only referee under the direct supervision of your club instructors, “Local” which means you can referee at local events, and “Regional” which means is meant as a stage prior to attempting National certification after at least one year of active Regional refereeing.
CENCO provides one of the nation’s top programs for referee development. Please check out the following free resources
A referee manual tailored for first timers, local, and regional referees
A very brief presentation summary that we use as an introduction for clinics
