• Why did you get started with umpiring?

"When I was in Year 10 my mum told me I needed to get a job! I was already playing netball and I didn’t have time to get another job, and what person would hire a 14 year old..! So, it got mentioned that maybe I could learn to become an umpire. My mum said I had to borrow the $20 from her to do the course so I did that and paid her back. It was a great lesson about the value of money and having to work for something. I also umpired for my middle school, so it felt like I was giving back to them as well. I did the umpiring course and never looked back!"

• What age were you when you started umpiring?

"I was 14 and in middle school when I started umpiring back in 2016. I went to AIMS Games and umpired for the top Year 8 team and the next year I started umpiring more and more. I got my Zone Badge in 2019 and my New Zealand badge at the end of 2022. I sat my NZ theory during COVID because there was nothing else to do! When I was younger my mum came with me to every game for the first couple of years to fend off all the parents! She still comes to some of my tournaments to watch and support me. When I was younger she would help out and give me advice but now she’s like “Go do your thing!”."

• Why do you umpire?

"I played up until Year 12 – by that time I was umpiring three games, playing, and then umpiring one of two in the afternoon. I stopped playing as I enjoyed umpiring more – there’s no politics and you never get benched! I just really enjoy umpiring and knew it could take me further than playing could. I am also studying at the moment so the good thing about umpiring is that it’s flexible and you can choose when you want to do it, plus it’s a great way to stay involved in the game. It’s really good for fitness – sometimes I’ll be running 3-4k per game, depending on the grade, especially in a high scoring game. A key part of being an umpire is to provide safety to the game, and we want the players to be safe on court. Without umpires people can get really hurt and safety is one of my main concerns when umpiring. And to ensure everyone has a fair and fun game!"

• What do you like about being an umpire?

"I really enjoy umpiring, it’s something that I have always enjoyed doing. It’s about being a part of the game without being in it. As an umpire you are always constantly working on something and improving, even at NZC level which is where I am at now we are still working on things – especially with the new 2024 Rules Update."

• What can be tricky about being an umpire?

"I think people don’t realise that we make mistakes, same as the players. When players or coaches feel that the wrong call has been made, I can understand the frustration as people are so passionate about the game, but sometimes that passion is directed at the umpire. When the team takes the court they are a group of seven, but sometimes as an umpire you can feel quite exposed – especially if you don’t know the rules.

It happens less often to me now but being a young umpire people don’t realise your age. I remember one game when I was 14 my mum called out to some parents on the sideline who were making comments: ‘She’s two years older than your girls’. I’m 22 now but I’m quite protective over our new umpires because yelling at them isn’t going to help them – it’s just going to make them upset and frazzled and they will end up missing calls.

I am really thankful I had such great umpire coaches who helped me and would watch my game and manage the crowd. In my last centre they brought in coloured t-shirts for the young umpires to say ‘hey these people are learning’. Young umpires are trying their best and if they do make a mistake they are not doing it wrong on purpose.

I’m really mindful of the delivery of my calls now I’m umpiring high school girls, and it goes both ways as well – it’s really about that mutual respect. Different levels of play require different levels of umpiring – there is a different expectation when you’re umpiring prem games vs futureFERNS."

• Who do you look to for support?

"Your co-umpire is your first port of call, and it’s useful to have a discussion with them at the break and ask a few questions just to check in and see how they are going. It’s kind of like taking care of your team.

The umpire coaches played a huge role when I was younger. I remember one game coming off and it was so awful that I wanted to quit, but my umpire coach reassured me and made sure that I was okay.

Having the umpires room is great – it’s like a safe space away from the teams. You can have discussions and conversations between umpires of all levels. It’s nice to have that support system and someone there you can ask for help or advice."

• Are there any misconceptions about being an umpire?

"That we have all the answers!  And that we always get it right all the time and we don’t, but we try our best to get it right as many times as possible and to umpire fairly."

• What is the next step in your umpiring journey?

"I am happy with where I am in my journey. I’ve been to U18s Nationals last year and I umpired U18A at one of the Rep Tournaments for Auckland. The next step is to just continue to enjoy what I’m doing with my umpiring – I think if you think too much about the progression and getting to the next level you forget to enjoy the game."

• What advice do you have for anyone considering becoming an umpire?

"My mum would always say to back yourself with your calls - it’s your court even if it’s the wrong call. Be confident and don’t be afraid to come in to the umpires room and chat to us or introduce yourself – I promise we are all really friendly. If you need any help or get any hassle through the game the centre will support you so you are not on your own. And make sure you buy a white top!"

For more information about becoming an umpire, visit our Umpire page here. 

Article added: Friday 07 June 2024