Referee of the Month: Eliana Nanji
The CDSRA Referee of the Month features referees of different ages, levels, and backgrounds to reflect the diversity in our referee community and our association. Our August 2026 Referee of the Month is Eliana Nanji.
Questions & Answers:
Q: Current Referee Level & Highest level attained:
A: District
Q: When did you begin, and what motivated you to start refereeing?
A: I began my referee journey when I turned 14, as a way to make some money. Once I started, my mentors told me to pursue officiating at a higher level, and so I did. It was difficult, and I struggled under the pressure from coaches, players and spectators. What motivated me to continue refereeing was the knowledge that every referee had started at the same spot as me, and I got some good advice from my mentors on how to block out the noise. When I attended ARC 2025, it was inspiring to see all the referees who had dealt with the same issues and had the same experiences as me; it made me realize, if they can do it, so can I!
Q: What has been your most enjoyable game/memory of your referee career?
A: My most enjoyable game was one of my first APDL games, where I was Assistant Referee 2 for Villains vs. BTB. It was my favourite game to be part of because it was my first time using comms, and I felt incredibly professional. The referee and AR1 conversed with me about calls and made jokes here and there, which eased my mind and helped me realize that refereeing can indeed be fun if you allow yourself to have fun while you're doing it!
Eliana refereeing.
Q: What do you love most about refereeing?
A: My favourite part about refereeing is working with different crews every game and learning new things from other referees -- I love that I can ask questions and get advice from more experienced officials. On the flip side, I have so much to share as well, so I am always happy to give advice to a newer referee when given the chance!
Q: What advice would you give to somebody just starting out refereeing?
A: My advice is to be confident in yourself. You are where you are for a reason. You did the work, attended the course and education sessions and earned the badge, so trust yourself and your knowledge of the game. Every referee makes mistakes; learn from it, reset your mind, and move on -- don't dwell on things you can't change.
Q: What do you do outside of refereeing and what are some of your interests?
A: I am a student at the University of Lethbridge, I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. I am also a youth soccer coach. Some of my hobbies are art, travelling, hiking, listening to music and reading.