Bobby Mazevski believes the future of South Coast refereeing stocks is in safe hands as he prepares to hang up the whistle on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Mazevski will step out for one last time for this year's Premier League grand final between Wollongong Olympic and United at WIN Stadium, which will be the final chapter in a 36-year officiating journey that began as a teenager trying to earn some pocket money.
It's a decision that the Illawarra resident has mulled over for a couple of years, with the impact of COVID delaying Mazevski's plans of retirement. But he says the timing is now right.
"The fact that I've got a grand final this year, after a pretty solid season, is as good a time as any for it,'' Mazevski told the Mercury. ''But, in the end, it's time to give some of the younger kids a go. And for me, it's time to hang up the whistle and maybe enjoy my weekends a bit more.
"It's a huge weekend to be selected [to officiate the decider]. I didn't want to announce anything beforehand because I didn't want people to think 'he's getting this as a bit of a swansong'. But once I was appointed for the grand final, I was set that this was what I wanted to do.
''I talked to my family about it and they were very supportive. And the rest, as they say after this weekend, will hopefully be history."
Sunday will mark a record eighth Premier League grand final for Mazevski, which seems the perfect time to end his career.
"It's something I've been passionate about since I was a young guy. I started with it, and I was playing at the time too, and at about 21 I had to make a choice between playing and refereeing. And I'm probably lucky enough to have chosen refereeing as my career because, 30-odd years later, here we are," he said.
"With a career like this, there's always going to be highlights, but you can never beat your first grand final - that's one that completely sticks out in my memory. I had my first [IPL] grand final at 25, where I became the youngest referee to do so.
"Grand finals are special because at the end of the day, some players don't get to play in more than one or two in their career. So to referee eight first grade Premier League ones is something I'm extremely proud of."
Illawarra Sports Awards
The Mercury, in partnership with the Illawarra Academy Of Sport and presenting sponsor Illawarra Credit Union, is hosting the Illawarra Sports Awards, to be held on Thursday, November 10 at the Fraternity Club.
TICKETS: Purchase individual tickets or tables at https://events.humanitix.com/illawarra-sports-awards
NOMINATE: Get your nominations in for the Team Of The Year, Coach Of The Year and Local Hero Volunteer Of The Year
VOTE: Who will win the Mercury People's Choice Award? Read about their achievements HERE and vote.
Joshua Bartlett
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
