The three referees representing the Illawarra at National Youth Championships

Hayden Michlmayr, Brodie Merchant, and Charlotte Flynn have been selected to officiate at the upcoming 2024 National Youth Championships, to be held in Wollongong in July.

Sign up: To the new Illawarra Football Weekly newsletter

The trio were named alongside 17 referees selected to officiate at the boys and girls national championships. The tournament offers the best young footballers to be noticed by Socceroos and Matildas scouts, and the same can be said for officials.

21-year-old Michlmayr, who began refereeing back in 2017, said he was both excited and proud to be given this opportunity.

"It's a pretty long selection process so to get selected was pretty awesome," Michlmayr said.

"We get selected from our branch, and then they have current A-League referees come out and watch us at the tournaments. And then based off of that, we get selected for finals and then moving forward, selection for the Football Australia refereeing academy. So it's a great opportunity."

Michlmayr said he had a real passion for the job, despite it being difficult at times. He has progressed through the FSC ranks to now getting gigs out in the middle for U20 National Premier League one games, as well as fourth official duties in first grade.

"I do really enjoy it," he continued.

"I was originally a gymnast for about nine years before I started playing. I saw refereeing as a good way to make money as a winter job kind of thing, and it just kept progressing from there.

"I ended up giving up playing in 2020 and focused more on the refereeing. It's definitely been a tough process over the last seven to eight years. You have a lot of points where you do feel like you want to give up.

"But I'm super happy that I have kept at it and now I'm getting some pretty good opportunities in the higher grades, and then obviously getting selection for nationals again is great."

Michlmayr added that he hopes to kick on with his career with the whistle.

"That's definitely the plan and travelling around Australia refereeing games sounds like a fun job to be honest."

Taking place between July 16-21, the National Youth Boys Championships will be held across WIN Stadium, JJ Kelly Park, and Ian McLennan Park. The girls edition of the tournament was successfully held in the region in October 2023.