This weekend, community football around Australia will recognise the contribution of our umpiring fraternity through the “Umpiring is Everyone’s Business” promotion.
This promotion is designed to improve the respect and environment for umpires, which in turn assists with recruitment and retention.
Umpires are critical to our game and the ignorant continue to jeopardise the significant investment both our league and the football industry as a whole are making to attract and retain umpires.
This weekend, the Northern Football League has asked all senior and junior clubs to make an effort to acknowledge and welcome umpires.
NFL clubs will undertake some of the following activities:
– Coaches to shake hands with the umpires on the field prior to the match (visible to spectators)
– Grounds with a PA system to welcome the umpires onto the ground prior to the match and acknowledge the “Umpiring is Everyone’s Business” Round.
– Clubs shout the umpires a drink after the match and make every effort to make them feel welcome in the rooms after the match. Captains and coaches are encouraged to mingle with the umpires after the match.
These are all small measures which go a long way to building the relationship between clubs and umpires and reaffirming to our umpiring group an appreciation of their commitment.
