A professional referee at the weekend, he wears another hat during the week and it is astonishing.
Being a professional referee, whatever the sport, is not so easy. Very often, if the players are in the light, the man who is supposed to be neutral is often in the shadows, except when he is under fire from criticism. A professional referee must often defend himself, argue, convince and demonstrate pedagogy. Which can also be used off the field.
Professional referee of the Pro D2 rugby championship, sometimes of the Top 14 and Champions Cup in rugby, Flavien Hourquet has a very surprising dual role. Indeed, the 41-year-old is also a professor of mathematics and physical sciences. But he doesn’t practice just anywhere. His playground this time is the Penitentiary Establishment for Juveniles (EPM) in Lavaur, in Tarn.
“That makes 5 years that I have been teaching at EPM. When I arrived, many admitted to me that they thought I would not last more than a year in this position. Teaching in this establishment requires a special approach”, he told La Dépêche du Midi. “We must implement another form of authority with students who are in the vast majority dropping out of school. Dreamland doesn’t exist. We have to start from reality, here even more than elsewhere.”
Flavien Hourquet has a real educational role with young people aged between 14 and 17. But do young people know about his second job? A priori no. “In any case, they do not have access to the broadcast of Pro D2 matches in their cell.”
This work has real importance for the nephew of René Hourquet, former international referee. He sees it as a real educational opportunity. “Before being at EPM, they did not attend school or were those found at the back of the class. We must give them a taste for learning subjects again, make them understand that learning is not a punishment. Giving them confidence in themselves, actually.”
Can we establish a link between the two professions? “I respect the players and the students. I make sure they understand and respect the rules both on the field and in the classroom so that they can give the best of themselves. In all cases, I must demonstrate pedagogy, fairness and impartiality.”