AFL Victoria Country

Community UmpirePrototype

March, 2014

Introduction:

As a component of the 2014 V/Line Umpire Academy Program, community umpires from• Ballarat Football Umpires Association• Colac & District Football Umpires Association• East Gippsland Umpires Association• Geelong Football Umpires League• Gippsland Umpires Association• Latrobe Valley Umpires Association• Sale Umpires Association• South Gippsland Umpires Association• Southern Umpires Association• Warrnambool & District Football Umpires Association• Western District Umpires Association &• Yarra Ranges Umpires Association

identified traits and characteristics that they believed a ‘prototype’ community umpire possessed and demonstrated on a continual basis. These coaching sessions were conducted in November / December 2013, revised in February 2014 and then shared and agreed to in April, 2014.

Extensive lists were developed where the collaboration with umpires from other Associations was most noticeable and their final lists appear on the following ten slides.

Approach to umpiring

• Displays a positive attitude• Respectful of the football community• Seeks continual improvement• Open to new ideas• Provides positive feedback• Adopts a professional approach• Ensure enjoyment and satisfaction• Assist less experienced umpires• Commitment• Punctual• Enthusiastic• Calm• Composed• Well presented• Active listener• Team player• Active and positive communicator

• Reliable• Approachable• Respected and respects others• Leads by example• Be organised – with gear and punctuality• Promote umpiring• Mentors less experienced umpires• Coaches and provides feedback• Accepting of feedback• Self-management• Always doing more than is required• Commitment to match-day, training & Group• Willingness to get involved in Group’s activities• Respects the Game

1/10

Communication Skills

• Voice control• Non-verbal e.g. whistle, signals• Remaining calm whilst under pressure• Talk to others how you’d like to be spoken

to• Clear and concise language• Positive body language• Confident without being arrogant• Respectful• Clear and concise• Loud and clear• Strong whistle• Respectful Manner• Teamwork• Eye contact• Signals• Active listener

• Clear signals & indications• Assertive – where necessary• Demonstrate a knowledge of the Laws• Display an understanding of their

interpretation – Spirit of the Laws• Communicate with coaches / players pre-

game• Effective communication between umpires• Confidence• Be approachable• Quickly establishes a rapport with fellow

umpires and match-day officials

2/10

Decision Making

• Maintaining an effective decision-making positioning

• Effective communication• Awareness of and attention to the

process• Impartial, honest and reliable• Appropriate decisions under pressure• Consistency in interpretations and

delivery• Composure whilst executing• Confidence whilst executing• Communicates demonstrating respect• Consistent with the Laws of the Game• Decisive• Effective decision-making• Warranted decision-making• Clear and concise signals and indications• Demonstrates positive body language

• Sharp• Strong• Displays concentration• Displays courage

3/10

Diet

• Avoid fatty junk foods• Discourage smoking or alcohol• Be conscious of hydration requirements• Establish a weekly eating plan• Training – pre & post• Carbohydrates / Protein• Maintain fluids and protein throughout

game• Post-game replenishment• Preparation• Healthy• Nutritional• Hydration• Jelly beans and bananas!• Restraint / Self-control / Knowing

limitations• Pre-game hydration• Match day diet• Pre / Post match diet

• Balance / Loading• Consume high energy carbs pre and post

game / training• Consume moderate protein foods pre,

during and post game / training• Replenish fluids post game / training• Meet ongoing fuel needs during and post

game / training

Remember that:-• Poor nutrition and hydration has a clear

and direct impact on umpiring performance:

Decreased coordination Poor decision making Decreased speed and endurance Delayed reaction time Headache, stomach upset, increased

heart rate

4/10

Leadership Skills

• Displays a positive attitude• Adopts a professional approach• Projects positive body language• Someone who motivates & inspires• Confident• Displays commitment• Remains calm under pressure• Role model• Effective communicator• Well groomed and presented• Displays effective preparation pre-game• Is a role model at training• Displays a willingness to learn• Respect everyone else• Possesses a sound understanding of the

knowledge of the Laws of the Game• Demonstrates an understanding of the

Spirit of the Laws

• On-field and off-field• Mentors less experienced umpires• Able to think clearly• Is a problem solver• Sets the example• Trustworthy• Encourages others• Seen as a role model• Displays maturity• Builds effective relationships with other

umpires• Establishes effective relationships with

Coaches, players and match-day officials• Demonstrates strong ethics and values

5/10

Match Day Performance

• Attitude• Knowledge of the Laws• Be a good listener• Demonstrate commitment• Fitness• Equipment – cards, whistles, flags,

scorecards, flag-holders, • Uniform – correct and clean • Punctuality – know where to go• Preparation – ensure everything’s packed• Confidence• Composure• Respect• Organisation• Presentation• Knowledge • Preparation• Effort• Enjoyment

• Positioning• Flag-waving• Presentation – well dressed, footwear,

sunglasses & jacket (goal umpires)• Sharp and crisp indications / signals• Communication with other umpires• Match management – keeping time pre-

game• Keeping the correct score• Preparing a game plan• Sharing a game plan with fellow umpires• Undertaking an effective warm up• Ground / Work-area inspection• Delivery of the game plan• 100% effort, 100% of the time

6/10

Preparation

• Committed to training• Maintains an injury free body• Match day preparation / Equipment• Knowledge of the Laws of the Game• Maintains physical fitness• Right mental state• Carbohydrate and Protein diet• Punctuality• Warm Ups – high intensity• Mind – goal-setting• Clean, respectable gear• Effective training habits / routines• Diet / Hydration• Time management• Improving knowledge• Establishing a game plan• Presentation – off-field and on-field• Positive attitude

• Equipment checks (clean)• Organisation• Checking ground location, travel times• Footwear• Expected weather conditions• Knowing the teams• Knowing your fellow umpires• Meeting Coaches and match-day officials• Goal umpires’ monitoring time to walk• ‘Zoning in’ on the job to be done

7/10

Teamwork

• Help create a positive environment with other umpires

• Build relationships with other umpires• Demonstrate respect for other umpires• Demonstrate trust for / with other umpires• Share game-plan discussion with colleagues• Focus on the game at hand• Communicate with fellow umpires• Work together as a team• Remain positive• Assist one another – off-field and on-field

8/10

Training

• 100%, 100% of the time• Never give up• Dedication & commitment• Maximise attendance• Seek improvement• Professional attitude and attire• Attentive in coaching sessions• Train seriously, but have fun!• Work hard to attain benefits• Teamwork (builds relationships)• Motivation (yourself and others)• Strive to achieve group and individual

goals• Extra efforts outside group training

sessions• 3 – 4 training sessions a week• Dedicated• Train as you would umpire• Perfect practice…

• Combine gym. sessions with running sessions• Goal setting• Recovery sessions including ice-baths, pool

and beach sessions• Work hard, effort & dedication• Positive attitude• Adopts a professional approach• Inspires / Encourages others• Assists co-ordinate coaching / training

sessions• Assists creating a positive environment• Demonstrates teamwork• Leads by example• Establishes strong fitness base pre-season• Maintains level of required fitness in-season• Ensure speed and stamina levels are

appropriate and effective

9/10

Willingness to Learn & Share

• Committed• Positive• Teachable• Open and honest• Confident• Eager• Be a good listener• Displays a positive attitude to learning /

teaching• Self-evaluates• Listen to other umpires /coaches• Accepts and provides feedback• Engages in activity with the purpose of

continual improvement• Has an open mind• Active participation in coaching sessions• Displays positivity whilst communicating

• Be an active listener• Encourage others• Complete what is asked• Approachable• Respected and respects others• Displays a willingness • Seeks continual improvement• Receptive to change / new ideas• Learns from past experiences

10/10

Conclusion:-

Match day performance

Communication Skills / Decision Making / Teamwork

Leadership

Training – Willingness to Learn

Approach to Umpiring

Preparation

Diet

Conclusion:-

A Community UmpirePrototype would demonstrate evidence of allcategories all of the time.

Identified traits andcharacteristics are not isolated to just one category but are often demonstratedin multiple categories.