Andrey Kupriyanov: A referee should not take his lead from players 10.07.2010
The referee team at the European Beach Volleyball Championship was made of 12 referees two of which are from Kazan
One of them is Andrey Gennadyevich Kupriyanov. Andrey is not far off 22 but he had already played volleyball and came up to a chief referee at the European Universities Beach Volleyball Championship. He shared the secret of his success in an interview to kazan2013.com.
- Tell us about yourself. How did you come into refereeing?
- I was playing volleyball but Mansur Karimov offered me to try my hand in refereeing. I liked it. The largest tournament I took part in was the Russian Super League. Two years later Maksim Vernikov arrived from Belgorod in Kazan and I started to referee beach volleyball. I have been working in the Premier League matches and competitions in Tatarstan for a year. There are only four beach volleyball referees in Kazan.
- Were there any amusing experiences during your referee career?
- Every match has different funny moments. At this tournament a Russian team requested the second time out when losing the game. Unlike indoor in beach volleyball the players can take only one time out. We rejected their request. And it’s not a single episode.
- Did you have to work under severe conditions?
- We are having the heaviest conditions in Kazan. It’s unbearable to be on the court: the sun is burning hot. My first refereeing experience at the Super League matches was not a piece of cake either. There were many spectators on the stands and I had butterflies.
- In your opinion what are the qualities of a good beach volleyball referee?
- Like in any other sport a referee should not take his lead from players. He must be confident and have strong nerves. It came from experience to me and it’s much easier to work now.
- What do you like best: indoor or beach volleyball refereeing?
- I’m more used to indoor but I was a linejudge there. I didn’t like that much. The European Universiities Beach Volleyball Championship is my first tournament where I work as a chief referee. In future I would like to be a chief referee in indoor as well.
- How does the Kazan Championship differ from the others?
- It has a good level of management. The volunteers’ work is perfect up to the last detail. It makes a good impression. It’s cool that Kazan is hosting the Summer Universiade. It will enhance the prestige of the city, of sports in Russia. We have to justify the confidence we are entrusted with. And we’ll surely succeed in it.
- How did you get prepared for the European Championship?
- We had tutorial workshops during which we revised the Code of Points. It’s very important to know them. We’ve also studied different cases, disputable situations. We do this to avoid repeating the same mistakes of poor refereeing decisions.
- What are your plans for future?
- I would like to stay and work in Kazan. There are great opportunities here and a strong volleyball team – Zenit-Kazan. I would like to become an internationally certified referee and work at the 2013 Universiade. I’m seeking for it. Everything will depend on the beach volleyball workshop that will take place in Lipetsk after the European Championship.
Maksim Kasharin, volunteer of press centre
VII European Universities Beach Volleyball Championship
