Spotlight on: JJ Roble
Lucy Casey speaks to JJ who has been refereeing with Girls Super League since the league was first launched. JJ was born in Somalia and came to the UK at the age of ten. She is the UK’s first black, female, hijab-wearing referee. She was among those appointed MBE in the 2023 New Years Honours for her services to Association Football.
JJ referees at Girls Super League week in and week out!
As someone who’s first true refereeing opportunity was at GSL, my first hand experience of Girls Super League is of a positive, uplifting community. The sentiment is one which resonates with GSL referee Jawahir Roble, better known as ‘JJ’.
At Girls Super League, we support many ambitions, from playing, to coaching, to officiating. Between JJ’s busy schedule of coaching and refereeing, I sat down with her to discuss her journey to becoming a referee, the impact her role at GSL has had on others, as well as her future aspirations for female referees in the game…
LC: How did you get into refereeing?
JJ: I got into refereeing through volunteering, and I got asked to continue to referee and that way I was able to get my refereeing course paid for. The reason why I referee is because I love playing football and I wasn’t allowed to continue playing, so I turned to coaching and refereeing. Now refereeing is the only thing I do!
LC: Did you face any challenges getting into the role?
JJ: There weren’t any struggles because I was lucky to have a mentor early on. That’s why it’s really important for the new referees coming through to partner up with someone that can support them. Get them a mentor, and then that way we don’t have a lot of referees dropping out. At Girls Super League, I feel like I’m a mentor to the players and the new referees that are coming through, just guiding them and helping them along the way.
LC: In terms of representation, how important is it to have female referees?
JJ: It is really, really important to have representation in football, especially in refereeing as there’s not many referees that look like me. For anyone that’s starting, it’s going to be so hard for them to find someone that resembles them - that has the same look. That’s why I’m going to try and stay in the game for as long as possible, so that I can show as many girls from all backgrounds that this is an option.
With my identity, I don’t feel like it’s hindered me even in the slightest. I feel like I’m a referee; when I’m wearing the referee kit I’m representing the FA and referees and my job is to control the game, to help and support the players and to just get the job done.
LC: What are your thoughts on all female referee courses?
JJ: I think all-female courses would encourage a lot of women and girls to sign up, as it can be intimidating to be in a room full of men who have been in the game for so many years. Most of the girls that want to referee don’t have as much knowledge of the game, but they’re keen to get started and be in the same room as people who are at the same level as them.
The game is getting bigger, we’re getting more and more girls involved and because the game is growing we need to have refereeing grow alongside it. I want to help set up as many girls to referee, finding cheap courses for them, maybe free courses for them. Anything to push refereeing to a point where we have 3 female officials in a game in my area and throughout London - that’s the goal!
(Interview has been edited for clarity)
Next month, Girls Super League will be collaborating with the FA to offer a refereeing course for women and girls. You can register your interest for this course here.