UMPIRES ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR HELP
It has been another very busy season for the local Umpires Association and once again, numbers have taken a hit. As the NWCU prepares to start a detailed review of structures and conditions, thought must also be given to protecting existing numbers of standing umpires and looking at ways of increasing participation.
It is a difficult job at times, however it can also be rewarding and as Roly Black is currently showing, there are serious opportunities for those prepared to put in the work.
Whatever your level of ambition however we would now ask clubs and individuals to give serious thought to giving umpiring a try in 2020. If we are to look at ways of improving our domestic structures then we need to have people in place who can make these goals achievable.
Please have a read below and get in touch if you think it’s for you.
NORTH WEST UMPIRES & SCORERS ASSOCIATION
“It’s Your Call” Umpire Education
The North West Umpires & Scorers Association are desperately looking for new members to come forward and help the association.
An ECB ACO Stage 1 and 2 Course will be held during the winter and an expression of interest would be welcomed.
The course is designed to give candidates an overview of the basic Laws of the game and how to apply them and introduce the principles of field craft and match management. It will give people the tools to enable them to umpire matches within the North West.
The association would welcome new members and are desperate for more people to take up umpiring both men and women are very welcome. Over the last number of years there has been a continual shortage of umpires for various reasons.
An association spokesperson stated
Umpires association appointments secretary Alfie Dunn had a list of 25 names for the summer just gone, but that figure quickly became 15 as people dropped out for various reasons. On occasions during the last couple of summers we found it difficult to appoint umpires to the top two divisions in the North West. On occasions last summer one or no umpires were sent to Premiership matches as we didn’t have the numbers, this is simply not acceptable, but if you do not have the people to send what can you do. During the season several regular umpires where not available for various reasons. If the trend continues and people do not step forward and offer support to the association, we will find the situation only getting worse and there may not even be an umpire’s association in the North West in the near future, if the current mindset does not change.
The situation is critical, and we need people to get involved from our clubs, you can’t play the game without umpires. The clubs are where those extra umpires will come from, so we want to encourage as many of their former players and supporters to get involved if at all possible. If someone new can volunteer to umpire 6 or 7 games in a season then it will make a difference.
We would ask all those who regularly go and watch – whether they were former players or not – to think about getting involved and taking charge of a few matches. Those who do find it a very rewarding experience and at the umpires association we will give them all the help we possibly can to get going.
There are far more positives to umpiring than negatives and we desperately need people to give it a go and get involved.
Everyone in our clubs will have a friend, associate or former teammate who could take charge of a few matches, and we just need those people to be given a nudge in the right direction.
For further information about registering for the course, or getting involved please contact
Dermot Ward mobile – 07871533449
Davy Caldwell mobile -07708253884
Roland Black mobile – 07518779991
