Celebrating the key role of Umpires

Photo credit: Nat Sports

 

This weekend AFL North Coast will be celebrating the start of Community Umpiring Week.

The objective of Community Umpiring Week is to increase the awareness of umpiring as a choice & as an additional activity to playing. Community Umpiring week will promote the benefits of umpiring, which include “get fit, get paid, have fun”, learning new skills, all while learning more about the game.

This additional awareness aims to show recognition to all umpires as well as foster support of umpiring and in turn assist in the recruitment and retention of umpires at grassroots levels.

Paul Taylor, Community Football Manager, said that the contribution of Umpires doesn’t go unnoticed. “Every weekend across AFL North Coast there are a key group of passionate individuals that pull on the green shirt & whistle to umpire and allow their local club games to happen,” Taylor said.

“Today we want to thank each and every one of our umpires, for your contribution to umpiring and your support of the game at grass roots level. Without you taking on this role, many players & clubs would not be able to participate in the game we all love and enjoy.”

To show our appreciation for the contribution of our Umpires, all players are being asked to line up on field prior to each match on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 May to shake hands with the appointed Umpires.

The AFL NSW/ACT Umpire team will be hosting two online information sessions on Wednesday May 18th & Wednesday May 25th for people who are interested in becoming an umpire, to register your detail please click here.