People of TFWA: Kiri Mako

This month we headed to Perth Brothers Touch Association to speak with committee member and referee, Kiri Mako.

Kiri's parents started playing Touch Football at Perth Brothers when Kiri was a child. Her parents then got her to represent Perth Brothers in the under 12's team at Junior State Championships. Since, then she has attended every year and has grown up in our sport.

At 13 years of age, Kiri started refereeing park Touch Football at Perth Brothers Touch Association. She remembers Freda Black pulling her aside and saying that she should get into referring. Kiri said "the referee she is today, is due to Freda and Joe Jefferies guiding her through her junior years".

This season (2023/24) of Touch Football has allowed her to travel to Busselton and Albany. Kiri will also be travelling to Coffs Harbour in March for The Championships 2024 presented by Inferno to attempt to receive her level 5 referring badge. During this season Kiri also received the Leading Female Referee award and was appointed to the Women's Open Grand Final at the 2023 LiveLighter Super League Series.

Kiri enjoys referring as it challenges her every year to push herself further. Referring has also helped her grow from an introverted teenager into a confident referee. 

As mentioned, Kiri is also a committee member at Perth Brothers Touch Association and assists the club with: creating referee rosters, preparing food, coaching and refereeing and setting - up and packing away the club.

The amount of friends and connections Kiri has made through our sport, is really what keeps her in our sport. Kiri mentioned that most people who start off as strangers she can now call family. She also commented on how amazing it is to be able to watch the people who she has grown up with have their own children that now paly at the club.