The Coach, Umpires and the Spirit of the Laws Neville Nash – Umpiring Development Manager

Good Coaches Make Better Umpires How coaches at all levels can make an important contribution to the development and retention of umpires.

Coaches – Their Impact Beyond Winning Coaches significantly influence players attitudes & the games environment. The coaches values and style set the tone for the whole club. Coaches’ knowledge and experience is now used to develop strategies to assist umpire development. Coaches are leaders and ambassadors for the development of the game as a whole.

Improving Umpiring Develop self-awareness and empathy for the role. Anger builds anger – how do you react, your box react, your players react? Negative feedback leads to self sabotage. Coach hard, be creative, have shared respect. Consider ALL things within the game. What’s the performance of an umpire worth?

Umpire Comparisons AFL UmpireVFL UmpireCommunity Umpire Semi professional. 4-6 sessions per week. Observed weekly. Average age 30. Level 3. Huge expectations accredited media, 10+ cameras at each game. $260 per game. 2 sessions per week. Observed weekly. Average age 22. Level 3. Huge expectations. $20-$100 per game. 1-2 nights per week. Seldom years old. Level 1-2 accreditation. Expectations. Does same comparisons apply to coaches?

Setting the Example Be a good role model. Promote umpiring as an option to players. Interact positively with the umpiring groups. Praise correct behaviors and have consequences for incorrect behaviors. Offer considered public comment.

Winning – One Element of the Equation

Green Shirt Program

Recruitment and Retention The Challenge To recruit & retain enough umpires to provide adequate coverage of community football. A Barrier We Can Control The culture of abuse towards officials. Hidden problem: those who don’t even give it a go. “Club Umpires” (little training or support structure).

‘The Teenage Umpire’ Dealing with adolescence. Learning the skills of the game. Developing at different rates. Building confidence. What are realistic expectations of performance?

‘The Teenage Umpire’ Do we respect their contribution to the game? The ‘bench’ is not an option - full game, full rules, high expectation of performance – how do we ‘blood an umpire’? AFL umpire mentoring program and coaches can make a significant difference.

Corrective Advice It is unlikely that abusing an umpire has ever improved their performance. It is likely that it caused them to question the reason why they are involved in the sport and for some it has caused them to quit.

Improving Umpiring Develop an understanding of the role. Build trust and relationships with local umpires. Be fair in your dealings with local umpires. Accept the different paths people choose to participate in the game.

Good Coaches Make Better Umpires How coaches at all levels can make an important contribution to the development and retention of umpires.