News « AFL Sydney Umpires

2010 Membership update - register now!

As part of the 2010-11 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the AFL NSW/ACT have agreed to subsidise Membership for all umpires who officiate in six (6) games or more during each home and away season.

Accordingly, for the first time, Membership for both the 2010 and 2011 seasons will be free for all umpires.

The Committee has also attempted to make Membership as simple and transparent as possible by allowing Members to tailor various add-ons (such as tickets to our major events) to their individuals needs.

Membership benefits

Membership of the Association has the following benefits for umpires:

• Access to the Member area of the Association website;

• Ability to receive all communications from the Association;

• Entitlement to purchase tickets to Association events / functions;

• Have their record of service and games maintained;

• Be eligible for Association awards;

• To stand for office on the Committee of the Association.

Plus, in 2010, all Members will receive an Association training set, comprising:

• 1 x Shirt

• 1 x Singlet

• 1 x Shorts

The training sets have arrived! Registered Members will be able to collect at training from Thursday 6 May.

Membership add-ons

Once registered for Membership, umpires will be sent also have the opportunity to pre-purchase tickets to our major events held throughout the year at a discount to their normal ticket price:

Presentation Night – Saturday 9 October – $90 (discount of $10)

President’s Night – Tuesday 14 September – $50 (discount of $10)

Reverse Raffle – June, TBC – $25 (discount of $10)

Members will also be able to pre-purchase a special “Feed Deal Voucher”, entitling them to a Thursday Feed Deal (meal and soft drink – valued at over $60) valid for every Thursday from April to August* – for only $50!

*Excludes Association meetings, where a free feed is provided to all Members in attendance.

How to become a Member

Umpires must register for Membership through the Association website, which is now available. Training gear will be only handed out once this registration is completed.

Register here!

Membership is due and payable by 31 May 2010 to receive the training gear and pre-purchase discount.

Additional information

If you have any questions on these or any other Association matters, don’t hesitate to Contact Us.

White Line Fever - 23 April 2010

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Round 2 - Umpire Appreciation Round

AFL Sydney have followed the AFL initiative and made this weekends round of matches as “Umpires Appreciation Round”. For each match this weekends the players and the umpires will shake hands prior to the game commencing.

Umpire Appreciation Round is an initiative of the Australian Football League aimed at encouraging all players, coaches, administrators and supporters of our game to appreciate the efforts of nearly 12,000 umpires nationally, of which close to 1,000 of those are NSW/ACT umpires, who officiate every weekend.

Too often the role of the umpire in Australian Football is overlooked and taken for granted. All umpires who officiate our game do so with the best intentions of implementing the ‘Laws of the Game’ to the best of their ability. This is a difficult task that is sometimes viewed in a critical fashion.

This weekend we look to show our appreciation for the boys, girls, men and women who take up the challenge of umpiring our game, by implementing some simple initiatives that ensure all umpires are valued and treated with respect The key messages of Umpire Appreciation round are:

1. Playing, coaching and umpiring need to have a stronger relationship.

All of the key participants within our game showing a high level of respect for each other. As role models, coaches should always ensure they act appropriately towards umpires.

2. Umpiring is everyone’s business.

We all need to have a positive impact on the match day environment – players, coaches, parents, administrators, volunteers, supporters and everyone involved in our game have an impact on the match day environment. If there is abuse and intimidation towards umpires on match day then the environment can be considered poor. If there is respect shown towards umpires and a level of tolerance then the match day environment will be positive.

3. Green Shirts mean umpires are still learning the game

Umpires who wear a light green uniform are still learning how to umpire and should be encouraged and supported. So this weekend every please show your appreciation towards umpires and the valuable role they play within the whole football community.

Article courtesy of the AFL Sydney website.

Report – 80th birthday / season launch

It’s not every day you turn eighty… four fifths of the way to getting a telegram from the Queen!

But that’s exactly what we celebrated at North Sydney Oval on Thursday 8 April 2010 – 80 years of your Association. And this octogenarian is looking pretty good for its age.

In honour of the occasion, the evening was 80s themed. 80s hits were playing in the change rooms and plenty of umpires turned up in 80s gear… from legwarmers and fishnet gloves, headbands and mullets to classic umpires’ white short shorts which those sporting them were proud to still fit into. A couple of umpires even mysteriously gained new heads of hair.

After a welcome from your President, Jeff Milne, GG was generous in making it a light training session – a great relief to those of us for whom manmade fabrics were the order of the day.

The April showers that gradually turned into something of a downpour did nothing to dampen spirits, and after the usual warm-up the traditional sprint event was held.. but instead of the usual 100 metres, we got 20 less for good behaviour. After a series of heats, Nathan Elsworthy took out the title, though Liam Rowe argued strongly for a prize for coming in third.

After a shortened remainder of the training session, we retired indoors to towel off, stretch and listen to a speech from our Special Guest – Jim McSweeney. While Jim denied the vicious rumour that he was as old as the Association itself, his 50 years membership and active involvement in the Association was achievement enough. His speech really summed up the spirit of umpiring – the friendship, camaraderie and challenges. Jim urged us to live by one of the values of the Association and to support one another in working towards meeting the needs of umpiring and umpires in Sydney.

With round one hot on the heels of this training session, Graham Glassford launched Season 2010 with plenty of words of wisdom – respect, consistency and professionalism featured along with that most important of factors, enjoyment in umpiring.

Finally, the much-anticipated result of the judging of the best dressed 80s ump. Jim himself came a close second but the title was taken out by Robert Taylor, who proved you didn’t have to be born in the 80s to make the most of mullet opportunities.

Luckily, we had planned around wet weather in the food choices, with the group gathering to consume sushi and pizza… and what would a birthday party be without a cake? And not just any cake, this chocolatey feast was emblazoned with the Association’s logo.

It was wonderful to have several long-standing Life Members joining us for the evening – some fantastic photos were shared, and a hair-raising story of the consumption of long necks by a pair of boundary umpires back “in the day”.

Thanks to all those who attended for making the night one to remember .. here’s to the next 80 years!

Alison Stevens
Committee Member

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2010 Membership update - register now!

White Line Fever - 23 April 2010

Round 2 - Umpire Appreciation Round

Treasurer's Report to 31 March

Members: 2011 Kokoda Track

Milestones - Round 1

Members: White Line Fever – 7 April 2010