The NFNL will acknowledge the significant role umpires play in our game during AFL Community Umpiring Week from April 29 to May 5.
The objective of AFL Community Umpiring Week is to increase the awareness of umpiring as a sporting choice or selecting umpiring as a choice as an alternative to playing our great game.
The additional awareness aims to foster support of umpiring and, in turn, assist with the recruitment and retention of umpires at grassroots levels.
The NFNL is fortunate to have built a strong and diverse umpiring group both in the terms of quality and depth.
The NFNL’s Director of Umpiring Martin Ellis and his support staff consistently provide umpires to all NFNL premiership games, along with proving a full complement of field, boundary and goal umpires to all seniors, reserves and under-19 competitions.
Their tireless efforts to recruit and nurture umpires should be commended.
To celebrate AFL Community Umpiring Week , AFL listed umpires will this week visit community umpiring groups to lead training and indoor-coaching sessions with local umpiring groups.
AFL field umpires Mathew Nicholls and Brent Wallace, along with boundary umpires Damien Cusack and Mitchell Lefevre, will attend NFNL umpires training at Barling Park on Tuesday April 30.
In addition, several young developing community umpires will head to IKON Park to develop their skills and knowledge of the game in a special coaching session under the guidance of some of the game’s national umpiring coaches.
NFNL field umpires, Lisa Compton Robins and Seamus White, boundary umpires Luke Gonis and Charlie Scott and goal umpires Campbell Jardine and Christian Steward have been selected to participate in the AFL Coaching Experience.
These opportunities are highly valued by local umpiring groups where their members are provided with an extended chance to engage with members of the elite AFL umpiring panel.
Furthermore, each AFL Umpiring panel for all games across Round 7 of the Toyota AFL season, will be accompanied on to the field by four fortunate young, developing community umpires as part of their Community Umpires’ AFL Umpiring Game-Day Experience.
The NFNL will also encourage all head coaches to attend the coin toss to shake hands with the umpires prior to all football games this weekend.
If you are new to the game, or your playing days are over, then umpiring is a great way to contribute to community football.
Regardless of your age, gender, culture or ability, anyone can get involved in umpiring and enjoy the many benefits the role provides.
Not only do you get the best view of the action, but it helps keep you fit, be part of a team and learn leadership skills that you benefit from in all walks of like.
For details on how you can become an umpire in the NFNL, visit www.nfnl.org.au/umpire-in-the-nfnl-in-2019
