Scotland’s Referee of the Year eyes Olympic opportunity

Scotland’s Referee of the Year has set his sights on the 2028 Olympics as a key target in his continued development as an official.

Speaking after his success at the Scottish Squash Annual Awards 2023, Steffan Gwyn said that the recent news of squash being included in 2028 has provided inspiration to more than just players.

Steffan said: “One of my long term goals has to be 2028, to referee the Olympics would be an absolute pinnacle for any squash referee.

“There’s a lot of work that I need to do to get there, but I think that I’m well on the way to reaching the required standard.”

Having previously been named Referee of the Year in 2019, the Glasgow based official believes that he has made significant progress in the years since that win.

He puts his rise up the ranks, refereeing at the highest level in Scotland, and now European competition down to making the most of opportunities offered.

He said: “I’ve been able to learn so much through the experience that I have gained over the last four years which has been really helpful for my development as a referee.

“I’ve had lots of opportunities at European competitions this year, including the European Team Championships in Helsinki.”

That event in Helsinki is one that Steffan recognises as the highlight of his season so far, and a reward for his hard work and dedication to his craft.

He was tasked with refereeing one of the matches of the women’s final in Helsinki – which provided another great opportunity to build on his wealth of experience.

While refereeing can be lonely at times, the 29-year-old referee pointed to the support he has had from other referees during his time in the sport, and paid tribute to the individual that had the greatest impact.

Steffan said: “My mentor, David Mathie unfortunately died this year, but I am really grateful for everything he did and all of the support he gave me as part of my journey as a referee.

“There’s also a great infrastructure in place at Scottish Squash, with referees like John Crawford and Mike Halpin who have been a huge help.”

Having benefitted from this support, Steffan is now keen to help a new generation of referees to find their feet in the role.

He said: “We definitely need more referees in Scotland, and I’m one of the youngest by quite a distance, so it would be great to have more young referees coming through in Scotland.

“I’m always happy to chat with people at university age or slightly older that are keen to start their refereeing journey, and I always say that if people want to find out more they shouldn’t hesitate in having a chat with me at an event.”

With a strong focus on self-improvement, determination to develop his skills and desire to help others, the Glasgow official is sure to have plenty of supporters in his goal to make his Olympic dream a reality.

Thank you to The Fitness Group for their Headline Sponsorship of the 2023 Annual Awards.