Ref Daniel enters lion's den in Oz

From the archive, first published Tuesday 9th Jan 2007.

Hockey referee Daniel Barstow is about to undertake a plum job.

The 18-year-old former Wibsey First and Middle School pupil has just flown Down Under to officiate at the Australian Youth Olympics.

He will be umpiring matches involving under-20 men's teams from Australia, China and Malaysia at venues used in the 2000 Sydney Olympics but, as he is a Briton, he will not be able to officiate in matches involving Great Britain, who are the fourth team in the round-robin group.

However, the Bradford Hockey Club first-teamer will be handling the Great Britain team's warm-up matches this week against regional sides.

Daniel's mother Bev, who is junior girls' secretary at Bradford Hockey Club, said: "He was over the moon when he found out in October that he was going to Australia as they have such a reputation for sport in general.

"The Great Britain players flew out two weekends ago so they could acclimatise but Daniel only went out this weekend.

"It is possible that some of the players he will be in charge of in the tournament will make it to the 2008 Beijing Olympics as there is usually at least one bright spark in each team but it is more likely that they would figure in the 2012 Olympics in London."

As part of England Hockey's Young Umpire Programme, Daniel has already officiated at national and international junior events, but within the last year he has stepped up to umpiring Men's England National League matches.

However his mother, who is a teacher at Brighouse High School, is proving a steadying influence in his burgeoning progress as an official.

She said: "I tell him to keep his feet on the floor because there are a lot of good umpires out there and he has a lot of time ahead of him as he can be an international umpire up to the age of 45.

"It is an ambition of his to umpire at an Olympics, but Beijing might be too soon. He might stand a better chance of officiating in London in 2012 but I really don't know.

"A lot of good things can come to people when they are very young but you still have to prove yourself in an adult world."

Daniel, who is in his first year studying a sports degree at Durham University, is a versatile player for Bradford.

"He's a bit like Paul Madeley was at Leeds United," said Mrs Barstow. "He can play anywhere.

"I have told him to do both for as long as he can because he enjoys both, and anyway being a player will help his perspective as a referee."

As well as playing for his club, Daniel, who went to Greenhead Sixth Form College in Huddersfield after leaving Brighouse High, also plays for his university.