Annie Mirabile will this weekend create history as the first VFL-listed female field umpire to officiate in a senior Peter Jackson VFL game.
Mirabile is quick to clarify that she is only first on a technicality, with Eleni Glouftsis – an AFL rookie-listed umpire as part of a Female Pathway scholarship – making her VFL senior debut in June 2015.
“I don’t think too much about that; I just see myself as one of the other umpires,” Mirabile said. “Doing my senior debut, I don’t think too much about the female side of things.”
Despite her modesty, it is the next major step in the umpire pathway for the 23-year-old former Southern Football Netball League senior field umpire.
Mirabile – one of 13 female umpires on the AFL Victoria umpiring squad for 2017 – started her umpiring career nine years ago “to keep fit and earn a bit of pocket money” after being introduced to the profession through an AFL Victoria basic umpiring course at her school. Her quick journey through the ranks saw her umpire two SFNL Division 1 Grand Finals across five years in the competition, before being selected to join the AFL Victoria state league development squad.
Earlier this year, Mirabile was bestowed the honour of the first ball-up in the inaugural NAB AFL Women’s game between Collingwood and Carlton at a packed Ikon Park. Coincidentally, her VFL senior debut will involve the same teams, as she officiates in the Round 4 VFL clash between Collingwood and the Northern Blues at Victoria Park.
Mirabile is looking forward to the challenge of her first senior match, with her hard work in the pre-season now paying off.
“I am a fair bit fitter this year than I was last year; I think that has helped to not be fatigued when making decisions,” Mirabile said. “It makes a big difference and has got me to where I am now.
“It was a big change coming from local football into state-league football, especially the expectations of where you need to be with your fitness, which I knew was something I would need to improve.
“I guess I did not realise (last year) how much I needed to improve, and while I had a good year, I still wasn’t quite where I needed to be fitness wise.
“Having a year on the squad allowed me time to see where everyone was at and the level I needed to be at, providing me a benchmark. I then had a better idea of how hard I had to work over summer.”
AFL Victoria Head Coach – Umpiring Cameron Nash said it is great reward for effort for Mirabile.
"Annie’s is a story of hard work to reach this point,” Nash said. “She deserves this and has worked hard to earn it.
“Annie has had a fantastic pre-season and has taken her fitness to another level, also umpiring in the AFLW competition.
“Annie has come through the pathway from umpiring Grand Finals at local level to joining our Development Squad in 2016, last year umpiring in the TAC Cup and VFL Development League before being appointed as the emergency field umpire for the TAC Cup Grand Final.
“She really epitomises the opportunities provided by the AFL Victoria umpiring pathway.”
This weekend across the Peter Jackson VFL and Swisse Wellness VFL Women's, it will be Community Umpiring Round, recognising the role of umpires in our game.
Listen to an interview with Mirabile before her debut senior game.
* Photo: Jenny Owens
Last Modified on 04/05/2017 12:13
