Four new officials have come on board after the Bermuda Referees Association’s referee course at the weekend at CedarBridge Academy and BFA Field.

However, more officials are needed to boost the referee ranks in the wake of the loss of Ronue Cann and Anthony Mouchette, and the departure of Elihu Holmes, who is returning to Jamaica.

The course, which ran from August 17 to 21, involved the officials going over some law changes before the new season, which will kick off on the weekend of September 4 and 5.

Dandy Town and Robin Hood, the league and FA Cup winners who played in the final game of last season when Hood beat Town in the cup final, will open the new season on the Sunday, when they meet in the Charity Cup match at Bernard Park.

The next day, the opening matches in the Dudley Eve Trophy will take place when North Village play Devonshire Cougars, and PHC take on Boulevard at Goose Gosling Field.

Of the four new recruits, one is a certified referee from England and Crenstant Williams, chairman of the referees committee, was encouraged by the turnout.

“It concluded on Sunday and we have four new recruits, one female and three males and one officiated overseas, so he is a trained referee,” Williams said.

“It ranged from 17 to 20 people per day; a mixture of youth and senior officials, which was very encouraging. We could always use more.

“The hope is that we will have sufficient numbers and will continue with ongoing referee training, going over the laws the first and last Mondays of the month, while the third Monday is for fitness training.

“The two referees who went overseas, Antoine Augustus and Tashun Simons, shared their experiences from going to Orlando [for the Concacaf Under-15 Girls Championships].

“We also went over the law changes to bring everybody up to speed. Now, when a team kicks off, there only needs to be one person in the centre circle and can now pass the ball backwards.”

The referee’s chairman makes an appeal to the clubs every year to send a minimum of two people to train as assistant referees, and the association also reaches out to youngsters to help out with youth games.

“That’s the recommendation that Fifa gave to my committee, to start them young,” Williams said.

• The Bermuda Football Association has been forced to cancel the Beach Football Tournament scheduled for Sunday because of a lack of interest. The BFA Beach Football Committee will meet with various stakeholders in local football to develop a new strategy in the hope the tournament can be held in the summer of 2017.

“We are committed to make this an exciting and viable form of football for all of Bermuda to enjoy,” the BFA said yesterday.