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Congratulations to the following Members celebrating milestones in Round 1: Matthew Baigent | Premier Division debut | Field
Anton has become a stalwart of the Sydney AFL umpiring group and combines his on-field responsibilities with the duties of President of the New South Wales Australian Football Umpiring Association (NSWAFUA), umpire advocate and mentor. The work that Anton does for the NSW umpiring group and the NSWAFUA is enormous and he continually strives for excellence in all that he does. Before officiating in Sydney AFL, Anton umpired in the South Australia National Football League (SANFL) and at the highest level possible – AFL Seniors. In addition to umpiring a number of AFL Senior games (many on some of the most well known grounds in the country) he has also won a significant number of umpiring awards. He has won the NSW Umpires “Golden Whistle” Award – given to the best field umpire of any given year – on three (3) occasions, been awarded the NSW umpires “Best Umpire of the Year” and won many other titles including winning the annual NSW Umpires 100m sprint four (4) times. Anton has a strong history of running and has competed in the 400m at the Stawell Athletics carnival held every year at Easter. The NSWAFUA congratulates Anton and wishes him well in today’s game. Profile Name: Anton Lewis Position: Field Umpire and President of the New South Wales Australian Football Umpires Association. 1. Who has influenced you most in umpiring? I have had a number of different people influence me over the years through my involvement with the SANFL through to coming to Sydney in the early nineties with different coaches such as Keith Ogston, David Levens (AFL), Bill Deller and other coaches in Sydney. The biggest influence has come from a desire to do my best week in week out and not accept mediocre performances or appointments. 2. What is your motto to success? You can only control what you have control over. 3. Whom do you most admire? Tiger Woods, a very special athlete that does amazing things. As a golfer, I would love to be in single figures – almost there! 4. What has been you best football experience? I would have to say umpiring AFL football at the homes of football in each state – MCG, Footy Park, Gabba and the SCG. 5. What has been you greatest achievement? Round 1, 1996 season opener at the MCG between Richmond and Geelong. The buzz of round 1 at the MCG in front of 50,000 people is something that I will never forget. 6. What is your favourite book? I tend to read a lot of sports books and especially golf books – currently reading Dave Peltz improving your short game. 7. What is your favourite viewing? I’ve gotten into Masterchef recently as well as Iron chef, probably because I enjoy eating but am amazed at what these people can do. 8. What is your favourite destination? Any golf course in a warm environment. 9. How would you describe yourself? Opinionated! 10. What is you favourite place and time? Any time I can sit back with friends and enjoy a good alcoholic beverage – which generally doesn’t happen during footy season. 11. How do you present yourself to the world? I am just a normal person, like most other people. 12. What are you optimistic about? Getting to a low single figure handicap and playing to it regularly. 13. What do you like to eat and drink? I love a good curry (butter chicken or a duck curry) and a nice cold beer always helps wash most things down. 14. Greatest professional and personal breakthrough? Making the AFL list back in 1996 and having a couple of almost perfect games at that level. Being able to walk off at that level knowing you did almost everything right is a wonderful feeling. 15. Any game day rituals or superstitions? Get to the game in plenty of time and have a run around and plenty of stretching now that I am not as young as I once was! Boundary Umpire and NSWAFUA Life Member Shane McSpeerin will yet break another record this weekend, when he umpires his 300th game running thin white line during Round 4 of the AFL Sydney season. Just think about that for a minute – 300 games! Can you imagine how many cumulative kilometres Shane must have run during these games not to mention training and pre-season games. Shane is already the games record holder on the AFL Sydney boundary, having broken the record in May 2007. Well done – we hope there are many more. Congratulations to the Josh Terrey (Field), who made his Premier Division debut in the third round of the 2009 season. We hope there are many more to come! Congratulations to the following umpires making their Premier Division debut in the second round of the 2009 season. We wish you well in your game and hope there are many more to come! Chris Marathankis | Field Congratulations to the following umpires making their Premier Division debut in the first round of the 2009 season. We wish you well in your game and hope there are many more to come! Tristan Stevens | Field
Saunders was promoted to the AFL Boundary Umpire panel at the end of 2008 season. This weekends appointment follows an outstanding summer of training and successful NAB Cup for Michael. From everyone at the NSWAFUA, run well! Premier Division Seniors Round 15 – 2/08/08 Premier Division Seniors Round 15 – 2/08/08 Premier Division Seniors Round 15 – 2/08/08
Ken’s passion for AFL began when he played junior football for Western Suburbs. He turned to coaching juniors in his adult life for many years, but in 1988 he found himself needing a new challenge. Late into the football season he decided to turn up to an umpires training night and soon found himself goal umpiring the last two matches of the season. He returned for his first full year ‘ducking under kicks’ in 1989. Ken quickly took to the mental demands of the discipline and in 1993 was appointed as Sydney AFL Goal Umpires Coach. To this day he is still preparing and conducting training session each Thursday evening – educating, guiding and mentoring Goal Umpires as they come through the ranks. The Sydney AFL Goal Umpiring panel is especially grateful for the work Ken has put in during his 15 years as coach. In 1990 Ken was appointed to the AFL panel, goal umpiring 62 games in both the Under 19s and Reserves before making his AFL debut in 1999. Ken recalls the experience as if it was only yesterday. Sydney played North Melbourne at the SCG, and the Swans found themselves behind all day until “Paul Kelly delivered the goal that turned the game around – it went straight over my head and I remember saying to myself ‘how good is this’!” After officiating in nine AFL games over a two year period – and with limited matches being available for the Sydney based AFL umpires at the time – Ken took up the role of AFL Goal Umpires Coach and Observer for AFL matches in NSW/ACT at the beginning of season 2001. Ken still continues in this role today. Every Goal Umpire officiating this weekend owes much of their skills, fitness – and indeed selection – to Ken. For over a decade he has helped countless young (and older) men and women gain a greater understanding of goal umpiring, and Australian Football itself. Ken takes great pleasure in seeing umpires grow and improve and has become adept at creating original and taxing drills to hone their skills on the training field. I asked Ken if he had a story or two we may not already be aware of from his 18 years with the NSWAFUA. Ken advised that throughout his career he has found himself being appointed to Field Umpire on five occasions when numbers were down – “so this man knows his stuff”. Ken also recalls attending a match one day as the Goal Umpire Observer, only to be told that they were short a Boundary Umpire. So Ken ditched the folder and soon was running the boundary for the whole game! On behalf of both the NSWAFUA and the Sydney AFL community we congratulate Ken on his outstanding achievement – and hope to see him straddling the line for many more seasons to come. Ken Ray’s Sydney AFL Achievements Member of the NSWAFUA for 18 years Total games umpired – 600 Premier Division Senior Grade Grand Finals – 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005 |
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