Sport doesn’t happen unless people are willing to officiate it and the Wyndham Basketball Association are fortunate to have a young woman who is not only willing to referee, but happens to be very good at it.
16 year old Elena Papakirikou of Point Cook was recently named the association’s Female Referee of the Year.
A year 10 student at Tarneit’s Good News Lutheran College, Elena has been playing basketball for the past nine years, but only took up the whistle in March 2022.
“To be honest I kinda did it for the money” she said sheepishly when asked why.
“I also wanted a hobby and to learn more about reffing because it helps when playing,” said Elena who still plays basketball when not refereeing.
Given her rapid improvement since first donning the black and white stripes, it seems officiating will eventually take precedence.
“At the moment I want to try and juggle both (refereeing and playing) but eventually I wanna try to get to panel reffing which is a higher level.”
Elena currently officiates representative and VJBL games, as well as age groups from under 8’s all the way up to senior men.
“They can get a bit mouthy sometimes,” she said of dealing with male players, some of whom are almost old enough to be her father.
“I tend to just let it (criticism) go through the back of my head. I don’t really listen.
But I communicate with them to explain decisions so they get a better understanding and it calms them down as well.”
It’s an approach which should hold Elena in good stead should she achieve her ultimate goal.
“I think NBL would probably be my highest level to try to get to.”
Cade Lucas.
