Her Call

Her Call is a community of practice and support group for female referees who are registered with Volleyball England.

Mission

To support every female referee in England to develop, grow and further enhance their knowledge and experience of refereeing.

Aims

to support with observation and development.
to enhance learning.
to provide a safe space where referees can ask questions.

Activities and Support

Regular online development sessions

Regular online webinars are held with differing focuses. The group aims to get together monthly.

Discord group chat

Discord is a group communication application. The group use Discord to network outside of the regular online sessions.

Her Call Ambassadors

Katarina Cepinova

I qualified as a volleyball referee in 2008 after years as a competitive player. My passion for the sport led me to serve as a Technical Official at the London 2012 Olympics. In 2016, I completed my International Referee Candidate course in Argentina and became the first female International Referee in indoor volleyball in England by 2018. Since then, I’ve officiated numerous CEV European matches and NEVZA U17, U19 tournaments, and continue to referee in the UK National Volleyball league. As a Lecturer, I mentor future professionals which has also enabled me to bring this passion into supporting and developing the Her Call group. I’m proud to support the ongoing development of our community of fantastic female referees.

Anna Justkowska

Anna is a Volleyball England Grade 1 National Referee, first qualifying in 2012. Anna has supported international competitions such as those ran by NEVZA and CEV.

Klaudia French

I am based in the South East and proud to contribute to the local sports community. I enjoy ensuring that games run smoothly and fairly, and I value the connections and sense of community that the sport can offer. I am passionate about encouraging more women to get into refereeing whilst having the Her Call group to develop their confidence and skills. For me, refereeing is about fostering a positive environment where everyone can thrive.

Rita Grimes

I am an indoor referee as well as being a referee tutor and observer. I qualified as a sitting referee in 2008 and was invited to referee at the Invictus Games in 2023. I am based near Worcester (bordering the West Midlands and South West). Her Call gives referees the confidence to approach others for help when the opportunity may not be there to speak face to face, allowing a rapport to be established with other female referees.

Sarah Hanrahan

I am an indoor and beach volleyball referee and have recently moved to the North West. I was a Technical Official at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and more recently a volunteer at the Paris Olympics. I enjoy enabling others to participate in the sport that I love. I would encourage others to join Her Call for the camaraderie and support which ultimately makes refereeing more enjoyable.

Diane Hollows

I have been refereeing since 1992 and am also a referee tutor and observer. I am passionate about mentoring new referees and am always happy to give advice and feedback. I was part of the Women 2000 Project and led Women’s Development on The Referee Commision supporting referees like Katarina Cepinova to achieve her international qualification. I am keen to promote refereeing and support new referees to continue their journey.

Bee Yusuf

I am based in Staffordshire, and I started refereeing in 2022. As a player I have always loved the thrill of the game but as a referee, I take pride in maintaining fairness and sportsmanship. The camaraderie among women is fantastic and Her Call has created a welcoming and empowering community. If you’re passionate about volleyball and want to be part of a supportive and inspiring group, I highly encourage you to join the Her Call Group.

Domitilla Di Stefano

I have been a referee since 2019, starting in Scotland and moving to London in 2022. I’ve been embracing the referee pathway while also playing. Through Her Call, I have met amazing women who I have also refereed with in various leagues. The group’s welcoming nature and the opportunity to learn is what makes it special. Being a referee is challenging but nobody is perfect and there is always something to learn.

Sneha Saileshkumar

My favourite thing about refereeing is that is has helped me to improve my confidence considerably. I would encourage more women to start refereeing especially having access to the Her Call group to develop their confidence. I am based in Leicestershire.

Jayne Jones

I am based in Cardiff and currently play, coach and referee. I am also a Board Member of Volleyball Wales. I was very proud this year to be the winner of the 2024 South West WVA Bert Williams (Referees) Award. My favourite thing about refereeing is being involved at all levels, including opportunities such as refereeing at the Transplant Games and Young Farmers of Wales Sports Day. I’d encourage more females to get involved so that we aren’t in the minority and being seen as knowledgeable, credible, approachable and with a smattering of humour where appropriate!

Paula A'Bear

I have been a referee for just over 10 years and the reason I became a referee was to be able to keep participating in competitive volleyball once my aged body let me down with the playing aspect. When I first started refereeing I was lucky enough to have a colleague in my club who I could go to for advice, improvement and sometimes to vent to (we all need to do this). Not everybody has this luxury, Her Call allows women referees a platform for support and guidance. I will always advocate this and encourage participation.

Cezara-Ioana Anghel

I am based in Basildon and have played volleyball since 1992. I have more recently qualified as an Assistant Coach and Grade 4 Referee. I am a teacher of PE and Psychology and also a qualified personal trainer and nutritionist. I also enjoy playing netball, swimming and running. Getting involved is part of the meaning of sport and physical activity to me.

How to get involved

Become a referee

The first step on the referee pathway is the Volleyball England Grade 4 Referee Course. Click the image above to see how you can get involved.

Share your story

If you are a registered female referee and would like to share your story, please email communications@volleyballengland.org. We would love to share your story across the Volleyball England communication channels.

How can I join the Her Call group?

Details of the group and upcoming activities are shared with female referees who are registered with Volleyball England, via email. If you have not received communications, please email refereeing@volleyballengland.org, please include your VolleyZone (VEU) membership number.