18 June 2013
Every weekend at country grounds across Victoria, the men and women with whistles and flags in hand play a pivotal role in making local football what it is.
Ensuring the development of the next generation of umpires is, at the very heart of keeping country football the great social and community event it is for everyone involved, from players, officials and of course the spectators.
Because of the key role umpires play, each year WorkSafe AFL Victoria Country’s Umpiring Department invites a group of talented whistle blowers to participate in the V/Line Umpire Academy Program.
Invitations are sent to young developing field, boundary and goal umpires to participate in Junior Football Programs, as well to more experienced umpires from local associations that are then considered for selection in a wide-range of umpiring appointments.
In 2013 the V/Line Umpire Academies are located at
- Camperdown / Terang
- Ballarat / Geelong
- Morwell / Churchill
- Berwick / Dandenong
- Albury / Wangaratta
- Shepparton / Echuca
- Horsham
- Bendigo
- Mildura
The location for each academy was determined in the latter part of last year and at pre-Christmas sessions, summer training programs are distributed to the new members and the current fitness levels are determined.
Post-Christmas – usually in mid-February – the Academy Program resumes with fitness levels of all participants measured once again.
Coaching sessions at the Academy sessions include on-track coaching with discipline-specific coaching groups and also indoor-coaching sessions that range from umpiring philosophies, personal goal-setting, the completion of self-development plans and an outline of what the year ahead will include.
Active participants of the AFL National Umpire-Coach Professional Development Program play an important role in the delivery of the Academy sessions and conduct skill-based coaching sessions where the participants are exposed to ‘a different voice’ where the expectations of the performances are extremely high.
This year members of the Academy have thrived in the opportunities the program offers, with all umpiring appointments for the 2013 V/Line Cup (U15 country representative carnival) and AFL Victoria’s 2013 U16 Championships being active participants in the V/Line Umpire Academy Program.
The Academy Program also proved 230 of the 248 umpires for last month’s WorkSafe Country Championships.
In addition to these achievements, 12 umpires have been invited to umpire at the three WorkSafe AFL Victoria Country versus Victorian Amateur Football Association games on Sunday July 7.
For anyone who is interested in learning more about the V/Line Umpire Academy Program, please visit www.vcfl.com.au
Last Modified on 18/11/2016 14:52