As a quartet of Victorian umpires waited in a special holding area at Tullamarine Airport to share a July 19 flight to Brisbane with the Melbourne Vixens, news came through that few had been expecting.
Their destination having already changed twice in the preceding period of Covid-chaos and uncertainty, Andrea Booth, Marc Henning, Tim Marshall and James Matthews had packed and prepared for a five week stay in Queensland: ie. a fortnight in quarantine and then Suncorp Super Netball’s opening three rounds.
Instead, as their luggage was loaded and their boarding passes tightly clutched, it was announced via tele-conference that amid the deteriorating virus situation and, with government funding for extended hubs in the Sunshine State having just been secured, their stay up north could stretch to around three months.
“It was a bit of a shock,’’ Marshall recalls. “For me that was ‘ok, well, that’s really different to the proviso that we were given’, which was a bit confronting. But it’s one of those years where you probably just have to roll with the punches and sort it all out later.’’
While, rightly, much kudos has been given to the sacrifices being made by players, coaches and support staff to facilitate this delayed and condensed SSN season, nor should the umpires’ contribution be overlooked.
Indeed, Victoria is supplying five of the eight contracted whistle-blowers based in biosecurity hubs in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast, as well as reserve pair Nathan Begley and Justin Barnes, with an endorsement of the Netball Victoria pathway system also illustrative of varying circumstances.
Marshall, for example, took several days to decide whether to commit, having cleared the relocation with his Melbourne employer. And while grateful for the encouragement of his partner Adrian, a doctor, the native New Zealander nevertheless feels slightly guilty about being freed from the stage four restrictions being endured by those left at home.
The first game of Marshall’s third season was partnering Booth for the August 2 Vixens-Magpies quarantine fixture, while dealing with the nerves caused by a limited preparation and the need to adjust to the new Super Shot - of which he is no great fan.
“It makes umpiring quite difficult just with the amount of times they’re swinging the ball from side to side and then the players are clustering in certain parts of that two-point area, which means our umpiring techniques have to change quite a bit to be able to see everything, and just adjusting mentally, as well,’’ says Marshall.
“But overall I think everyone across the board has umpired it quite well, and obviously it’s going to get easier and will just become second nature.’’
For Booth, there was only one potential issue with travelling north. While already working remotely in a day job as the volunteers co-ordinator for Monash Health, she first had to be certain that position would not be jeopardised.
Otherwise, it was a no-brainer, for the 38-year-old was aware her locked-down existence in Melbourne would have involved isolation from family and friends, anyway. And no umpiring, of course. Not even a gym visit. “So I was just relocating under the same restrictions to my home life but opening up a few more freedoms for me individually,’’ says the former Melbourne Phoenix (briefly) and Kestrels shooter.
Starting her third season as part of the SSN pool, Booth - along with Matthews, a former Australian men’s representative - is unusual in that she also has experience at the elite playing level. Coaching, she admits, is the more common choice.
“What umpire coaches have said to me along the way is that probably the key things from my playing that has helped me as an umpire is my reading of the game, and my decision-making around contact and contest,’’ she says. “Then also receiving feedback, working on it and improving.’’
A Victorian junior and senior representative who was part of both the VIS and AIS programs, Booth logged more than 50 appearances in the old national league from 2002-2007. Current Vixen Caity Thwaites and Magpie Madi Browne were among her Kestrels teammates way back then.
“They were both teenagers when I finished,’’ recalls the qualified occupational therapist, who retired as a player at the age of 26. “Seeing them off the court we still say hi and have that shared history with each other, but when we’re on court, they’re players and I’m an umpire.’’
Begley is in a different category, for reserve umpires do not receive retainers, and fill a supporting, there-just-in-case-something-happens role on match day. Yet what is still an essential position is one he sees as an invaluable learning opportunity.
“The other umpires are so skilled and experienced that it’s so beneficial to sit and watch them in action - especially from that courtside position. It’s so good for your own professional development,’’ says Begley, a Tier 3 pathway umpire.
“Then to be part of the change-room discussion with the umpire coaches, be up close and personal when players come up and ask questions at the quarter breaks and watch how they respond in those situations I think you get a much greater appreciation for it - and for the decisions made in a split-second - as opposed to when you’re just watching on TV.
“The ultimate goal is to one day be the on-court umpire, absolutely, and all of this exposure of watching it so close, it’s like learning a language. You’ve just got to surround yourself in it and it makes the learning so much easier.’’
Given that netball is largely a love job for Begley at SSN level, the ANL regular has been busy working remotely for his supportive employer iHR Australia, having transported two computer screens in his luggage, and with plenty to keep him busy as he sees out his remaining days in quarantine.
Begley times his daily fresh air breaks with good friend Barnes and fellow umpire Kate Wright, and celebrated his 25th birthday solo, but “saturated in love from everyone” including partner Chad, with endless phone calls and deliveries that included flowers, cupcakes and gifts.
“I think Victoria has a really strong pathway for umpires,’’ says Begley, “but by using the word ‘pathway’ I think that gives the impression that it’s a straight road and natural progression, and like anything in life you have your peaks and your troughs and your challenges that you have to face.’’
The latest and greatest for Super Netball is still being navigated during an extraordinary 2020. Which includes the umpires. Lest we forget.
Written by Linda Pearce
