State of Mind Sport have been working in partnership with the Rugby Football League Match Officials Department, Juice Immersive and M7Virtual to put together a virtual reality experience
The purpose is to allow supporters to experience exactly what it is like to ‘Be The Ref’ and all the many skills that are needed to be a rugby league referee not only in controlling a rugby league game but being able to run up to 10km whilst controlling a rugby league game. There is the potential to use the experience as a training resource to help train new referees and can be applied to any sport.
This is a world first and we are excited to share the experience early next year
State of Mind Sport are massive supporters of all referees at all levels of sport and want to change the way match officials are treated as they allow so many people to be able to play the sport they live every week during a season.
Abuse of referees is one of the main reasons referees leave the sport and State of Mind are concerned on the impacts on the mental fitness of referees at all levels if they are not treated with the absolute respect they deserve.
We will be launching the resource in February 2022 bu ton the meantime you can see a sneak peek at what it is like from footage from a pre-season game in 2021 between Warrington Wolves and Leigh Centurions
State of Mind would like to thank the Rugby Football League and the match officials department Steve Ganson, Liam Moore and Marcus Griffiths in particular, the four clubs including Salford Red Devils and St. Helens as well as Warrington Wolves and Leigh Centurions earlier this year. Massive thanks to Owen Cotterell / Phil Cooper State of Mind Trustees and M7 Virtual in getting an idea suggested by Rugby League Match Officials Department from an idea to reality and now Virtual Reality!!
#BeTheRef
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