Mathew Cheeseman

Experience

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  Courtside Multisports

  Apr 1998 - May 2006

  Duty Manager, Sports Coordinator, Sport Official

  • Duty Manager• Sports Coordinator - Cricket, Soccer, Netball, Basketball• Indoor Cricket umpire• Indoor Soccer referee - rebound & futsal• Emergency official for Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Indoor Softball, Netball

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  Football West

  Jul 2006 - Jan 2018

  Referees Manager

  • Responsible for the management of referees in Western Australia, all related operations and administration, and appointments to all matches within the Perth metropolitan area.• Liaising with the competitions department on competition structures and fixturing, review of rules and regulations, facilities audits, and coordination of disciplinary and tribunal processes.• Budget management and implementation for referee department, referee payroll and related invoicing.• Organiser, facilitator and educator for state refereeing conferences and refereeing courses/workshops, as well as creation of teaching materials for all educational activities.• Organisation of and tour manager for biennial development tours to the United Kingdom (2010-16); co-opted in as tour manager for 2018 despite having left the company. Show less

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  Football Australia

  Jul 2006 - Aug 2024

  PurposeProvide leadership and direction within the Australian elite refereeing ecosystem, create and encourage a strong culture of respect for match officials, and enhance the global reputation of Australia match officials through strong domestic pathways and development structuresKey responsibilities• Contribute to the implementation of national development pathway, including nomination and selection processes for national youth tournaments and high performance panels• Prepare and manage the department budget, and the Australian Professional Leagues’ ProRef budget, with a combined expenditure in excess of AUD 6m• Develop and implement elite refereeing components of the national strategy• Enhance the global reputation of Australian match officials, by maintaining and improving international relations with the Asian Football Confederation, The International Football Association Board (IFAB), FIFA, and other nations• Manage contracting procedures and policy implementation for national match official panels• Manage match official appointments and evaluation processes for national competitions, including Australia Cup, A-League Men & Women• Manage the implementation of Laws of the Game trials approved by FIFA & IFAB (e.g. concussion substitutes, VAR decision announcements)Project Manager - Video Assistant Referee (VAR)• Manage personal and contractual relationships with key stakeholders and suppliers, including broadcast partners and system technology providers• Manage match day operations from the VAR Centre• Drive technological advancements to enhance the fan experience (e.g. live announcements)• Assess and track performance levels and metrics of video match officials, provide relevant feedback & guidance, and produce performance reports• Deliver training and development programs for new & existing video match officials• Ensure all systems and training align with international standards• Liaise with The IFAB, FIFA, and AFC on all VAR-related matters Show less • Responsible for the management and budget of the Refereeing Department• Coordination and delivery of national refereeing activities, including implementation and updating of the national curriculum, and assisting Member Federations with grassroots education, training, and development• Implementation of the national development pathway, including nomination and selection processes for national youth tournaments and national panels• Management of the national accreditation system for over 10,000 referees• Manage the contracting procedures for the national match official panels• Maintain regular communication with international confederations (primarily the Asian Football Confederation) and FIFA, particularly with regards to international appointments and opportunities• Manage the implementation and regulation of COVID-19 protocols during the 2019/20 Hyundai A-League season for match officials and related contract staff• Also continued duties of previous part-time role of Assistant Referees Coach until conclusion of 2019/20 season (August 2020) Show less • First person appointed as a specialist assistant referee coach for Australian football.• Performance analysis, review and coaching of elite assistant referees in the Hyundai A-League & FFA Cup.• Provide input into panel selection and appointment of elite assistant referees in FFA competitions.• Instructor for FFA seminars, and national junior, youth and talent identification championships, as well as conducting pre-season seminars with A-League clubs relating to changes to the Laws of the Game. Show less

  • General Manager - Elite Refereeing

    Jan 2021 - Aug 2024

  • Referees Manager

    Nov 2019 - Jan 2021

  • Assistant Referees Coach

    Feb 2018 - Nov 2019

  • A-League Match Official

    Jul 2006 - Feb 2018
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  WACA- Western Australian Cricket Association

  Aug 2016 - Apr 2018

  State Umpire Coach

  • Provided professional development, performance analysis and support to the State Umpiring Group, officiating in WACA Premier Cricket, WBBL, BBL and Futures League competitions.• Developed an elite development and mentoring program aligned to WACA and Cricket Australia expectations, including the introduction of a physical and mental wellbeing program.

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  UniSport Australia

  Mar 2018 - Nov 2019

  Sport and Operations Manager

  • Responsible for the management of sport and operational aspects for UniSport’s two major multi-sport events, UniSport Nationals Div 1 and Div 2, consisting of 30 different sports with over 8,000 participants from 42 universities.• Project Manager for a number of standalone championships including T20 cricket (doubling as Tournament Director) and 3x3 basketball.• Key management areas including but not limited to planning, workforce, education, risk, policy and procedures, finance, venues, special events, competitions, disciplinary and results.• Working with state and national sporting organisations for the sport specific delivery of our events, including rules and regulations, scheduling, officials and development.• Assisted with the implementation of a cultural change within the university sport landscape and events, moving from a heavy reliance on social activities to a more sport and health focused environment.• Management of three direct reports responsible for the areas of sport delivery, workforce, and operations. Show less

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  Asian Football Confederation (AFC)

  Jul 2021 - Sept 2024

  Football Technology Officer

  • Lead the implementation process for and oversaw the operations of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system and other football technology items within stadia for AFC international competitions, including FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, AFC Asian Cups, AFC Champions League, and AFC Cup• Worked with system technology providers (Hawk-Eye, Mediapro), host broadcasters, venue management, sports presentation companies, AFC & local staff, and match officials, to ensure a smooth and successful implementation and application of the VAR system• Communicated reasoning behind VAR decisions to host broadcaster, commentators, and giant screen operators via audio system and tablet-based decision mechanism• Appointed to oversee the 2022 AFC Cup Final (the first match conducted in Malaysia to utilise VAR), one of five FTOs appointed to the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Qatar, and the 2024 AFC Champions League Final• Invited speaker for 2023 AFC Football Technology Workshop, 2024 AFC VIO Workshop, 2024 AFF VAR Officer Workshop Show less

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  U.S. Soccer Federation

  Aug 2024 - now

  Senior Manager, Refereeing Operations

  • Contribute to the operational roadmap to support the strategic vision for the USSF Refereeing Department• Support the development and drive the implementation of programs directed at growing & developing referees as well as improving the referee work environment (Referee Abuse Prevention initiatives)• Lead contact for international partners: FIFA, Concacaf, and relevant other federations. Direct interaction with VP, Refereeing regarding CONCACAF & FIFA appointments• Develop and maintain strong working relationship between USSF, State Referee Committees, other affiliated members and key ecosystem stakeholder partners, as well as other US Soccer departments seeking areas of collaboration in or to achieve Refereeing’s mission• Identify, implement and maintain digital tools/resources to enhance referee operations, in cooperation with IT department• Optimize internal operations, working closely with the Product (technology team) on continued ways to streamline and build efficiencies to make the team’s work effective• Oversee the Referee Operations team members (managers & coordinators), supporting professional development of team members• Own the operational delivery and logistics of all Refereeing program events, including but not limited to: Annual National Camp, webinars, (regional referee academies, WNT/MNT Referee Q&A’s etc• Support the Referee Education and Development team in the annual license certification course implementation Show less