Written by Amelia Barnes
A netball league requires umpires to function, but after two challenging COVID years, many associations have struggled to retain and upskill these much-needed officials.
The Bendigo-based Heathcote District Football Netball League (HDFNL) was in this position until the appointment of Jackie Elkins-Pole as the league’s netball umpire mentor. This role was established to mentor umpires across the league’s nine clubs, ensuring the viability of the competition for years to come.
What Elkins-Pole has achieved in this job has been remarkable, and she was recognised as Netball Victoria’s Umpire of the Year at the recent 2022 Community Awards.
Elkins-Pole began umpiring in the 1980s. She received her C badge in 1983, and B badge in 1996.
When becoming HDFNL’s netball umpire mentor in 2021, Elkins-Pole’s role was initially to spend one day a year with each club to identify any umpires ready to achieve a C badge level or higher. However, to badge new C level umpires, there needed to be qualified C badge testers.
Elkins-Pole quickly realised she was the only person in the league that met Netball Australia's testing requirements, so she jumped into action.
“We had lots of B testers but no Cs. I then realised my role had to morph a little bit - I had to get some C grade testers in the league, or I couldn't test any umpires,” she said.
Elkins-Pole's job shifted to developing new umpire testers while supporting umpire mentors within each club.
Thanks to Elkins-Pole’s work over 2021 and 2022, the HDFNL was able to develop five more C badge testers, and accredit 20 new and returning umpires with a C badge.
“It's certainly lifted the standard of umpiring in our league,” said Elkins-Pole.
In 2023, HDFNL will be focusing on developing more B badge umpires who are critical for ensuring a high quality of officiating.
“The big thing that's missing out here - which is probably everywhere with the last two years of COVID - is that we haven’t had any B badges come through in three years,” said Elkins-Pole.
“The finals part of the season was so challenging because we just don't have enough of that upper standard... The players playing at that standard deserve umpires at that standard.”
HDFNL general manager Jan Mannes is grateful for the work Elkins-Pole has done to drive the development and retention of the league’s officials.
“Her passion and commitment to the umpiring fraternity is simply amazing,” Mannes said. “Jackie is found at the courts every round for the HDFNL - rain, hail, or shine.”
Elkins-Pole recognises the efforts of the entire league over the past two years, especially the testers and umpires who put up their hands to help.
“It was a group effort at the league. I couldn't have done it without the other testers, I couldn't have done it without everyone pulling their weight. I think the award is recognition of what the league's done as much as what I've done,” she said.
What HDFNL’s umpire cohort has achieved is also a credit to the league for taking the initiative to appoint a netball umpire mentor.
“What's happened is a direct result of their commitment to appoint someone, to fund someone, and to give them the authority to go out and do it… It’s been a fabulous year, but I didn't do it on my own,” said Elkins-Pole.
“If any other league wants to take up the challenge, there's no reason why they can't do it too.”
Interested in becoming an umpire? Find out more
The Umpire of the Year Award is supported by WorkSafe Victoria
