Good friends Thomas Fitzpatrick and Lachlan Brown will both make the trip to Perth with the School Sports Victoria football team next month, but their roles will differ greatly.
While Garfield footballer Thomas Fitzpatrick undertook a rigorous selection process to make the final team, his involvement led to Lachlan’s successful application to umpire at the national carnival.
While Thomas worked his way through the trial process that started at 273 players, it was a conversation between Thomas’ father Adam and Lachlan during the second stage of trials that led to a successful nomination as an umpire.
With the playing squad whittled down to 80, Thomas took part in several practice matches to eventually win a ticket to Perth as a member of the final School Sports Victoria under 15 squad.
Having made his senior debut at Garfield recently, Thomas will continue his preparation by playing locally before a three-day camp with the SSV team.
The camp will include gruelling practice matches against much older opponents, taking on year 11 and 12 students from Melbourne based colleges.
GUA umpire Lachlan Brown’s preparation for the carnival has been vastly different. Having broken his leg shortly after being accepted onto the panel, Lachlan has recently resumed walking and is in a race to prove his fitness to participate in his chosen discipline of field umpiring.
Lachlan said team staff had been supportive, and he would make the trip regardless as a member of the panel of 30 to support in any capacity.
Having begun as a volunteer boundary umpire in the under 14s, Lachlan’s field umpiring has developed quickly since joining Gippsland Umpires Association, progressing to umpire a senior practice match in just his second year with the local umpiring panel.
Lachlan said doctors had estimated a two-week window to prepare for the carnival, where he hoped to umpire some school football and run a match locally before making the trip.
He said a position on the goal umpiring panel could also be a possibility, subject to his fitness levels.
Both Thomas and Lachlan thanked their school, Chairo Christian School, along with their parents, sponsors and their respective clubs and coaches for helping them to progress to the SSV squad.
The seven-day carnival will begin in Perth on July 22, with the Victorian team to take on all six states and territories.
Last Modified on 13/06/2017 13:23