 The world of competitive sport relies heavily on the figures who enforce its rules. This week, www.islandstats.com begins a new series of SpotsLight, profiling the dedicated players and officials who drive local and international competition, starting with FIFA Assistant Referee Stefan Maybury.
While the spotlight often falls on the players, officials like Maybury are crucial components of the game's integrity and quality. As an Assistant Referee sanctioned by FIFA, Maybury operates at the highest level, making split-second decisions that directly impact match outcomes, both on the island and in high-stakes international fixtures.
Q. What first inspired you to become a referee?
A. I used to train with West End Utd, a former Corona League team, but I was too young to play in that particular league at the time. Corona League teams all had to provide their own ARs, so as I was too young to play, I volunteered every week. I did this for years before I was finally convinced to join the BFA.
Q. What is the most rewarding part of your job on the field?
A. The most rewarding part of my job is knowing I've facilitated the game in a fair manner. When you finish a game and you know you've got the majority of your calls correct, particular the big decision, it's a great feeling. I also like knowing I've done my part to contribute to the sport and to help the sport continue.
Q. What is your ultimate goal in officiating?
A. The answer to this question has evolved a lot over the years. From just wanting to do my first premiership match as an AR, to having FIFA aspirations, to wanting to do my first premiership middle, to wanting to do my first overseas tournament, to passing my first fitness test, to doing my first international match as a FIFA official. I vividly remember every goal I've had along my journey, and how accomplished I felt to achieve each one. No matter how insignificant they may seem looking back, at the time, they were all colossal to me. My latest goal is to do an international match with a full team of Bermudian FIFA referees, and then beyond that to make it to a youth World Cup and potentially the Gold Cup.
Q. Can you describe the most challenging or difficult call you have ever had to make in a game?
A. There are so many possible answers here, the vast majority of them being from international games, the pressure is always so much higher when officiating international matches. A decision that always stands out to me is an offside call I made during the final game of a group stage match at U20 Concacaf Championship. It was between Jamaica and Puerto Rico and Jamaica scored with the last kick of the game, the goal would have been the winner, but I correctly flagged for offside. This moment always stands out to me because it was not only a really big decision, but the referee took what felt like forever to notice me, despite me calling out to him. So Jamaica were celebrating for quite a while, and the whole time I knew I was unfortunately going to break their hearts whenever my flag was eventually acknowledged by the referee. What was probably 20 seconds or so, felt like hours standing their with my flag raised. I've made many decisions in higher level games since then, but those "20 seconds" always stand out in my memory, maybe because it was my first major game changing decision in an international match of any sort.
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