We trust that you are all well and have “survived” the Christmas/New Year and are looking forward to 2009.
As we all know, training will commence for the 2009 season on Wednesday the 28th of January. Training will then continue on Monday and Wednesday nights. Training for 2009 will be at Baxter Field (Marks Point) and commence at 6pm. Please note that 6pm is the start time, not the arrival time. As a matter of courtesy to your fellow umpires and to ensure we start and finish on time, please be in attendance, changed and ready to commence at this time. Thank you.
Just to put everyone into the picture, this is a basic outline of how training will be during the pre-season leading into the start of the home & away competition. As it appears that round 1 will be just after Easter, for the first 6 weeks the focus at training will be predominately on building a strong fitness/running base. About 5 weeks from the start of the season we will then start to incorporate more “umpire specific” running and drills along with skills work.
Now there may be some of you who are now thinking, “I’ll stay away for the first 6 weeks then because that will be too much hard work and start coming when the skills stuff starts”. If you do that YOU ARE AN INJURY WAITING FOR SOMEWHERE TO HAPPEN!! If you do not have a good general fitness base and start doing skills work and backward running and the like, you will be susceptible to injury.
We all know that pre-season training is hard. Those of you who have remained active over the break will find it not has hard. The people who have been participating in the training on a Thursday and Saturday will be “ahead of the pack” and find it fairly straightforward. By the way, we will be continuing with the Saturday sessions up to the start of the season. These will count towards your training attendance, so giving you an extra option.
If you have chosen to do nothing, that of course is your choice and prerogative. However, please don’t come to training and complain “this is too hard” and such like. In 2009 we would like to see a more positive approach to training. If you have chosen to do nothing, of course pre-season training is going to be hard. OK?
We all know that we have people with different levels of fitness and different goals when it comes to fitness and umpiring. All we have ever asked is that you be honest with yourself and put in a “fair dinkum” effort. Slot in with a group that is around the same level of fitness as yourself and work from there. Just remember, as per 2008, training ATTENDANCE and PERFORMANCE will be part of the selection criteria used by the UAC. The attendance logs will start from the 28th of January.
I hope everyone has taken some time to think about their umpiring goals for 2009. As always, we will face a number of challenges. Times will be tough every now and then. But the true test of a person’s character is how they deal with these things and the action they take to achieve the goals that are important to them. This GUTS (Genuine Urge To Succeed) factor is what separates great umpires from the rest.
Please make sure you have Sunday the 22nd of March “locked into your diary” for the compulsory umpires’ forum. Thank you
See you on the track.
Roger Crowhurst, BDAFL Umpries Coach
“It hurts up to a point and then it doesn’t get any worse” - Ann Trason – American Ultra marathon runner. In her career she has broken over 20 world records.
Last Modified on 23/02/2009 15:53