Welcome to all current, new and prospective umpires to season 2021.
Pre-Season training has commenced and we encourage anyone that has an interest in umpiring to get in touch, register and come down to training and see what umpiring is all about.
Below is all you need to know about our club and we encourage anyone with an interest in umpiring to read on and see what we have to offer.
THE EASTERN FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE:
The Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL) is the largest Australian Rules football competition in Australia.
The EFNL is made up of 49 clubs playing five senior men’s & four senior women’s competitions as well as both girls & boys in our junior competition for age groups from under 8’s to under 18’s.
Our competition reaches from Balwyn in the west, to Coldstream in the east, Berwick in the south and Warrandyte in the north.
EFNL FOOTBALL – MORE THAN A GAME:
Football clubs provide a source of local pride, meaning and relevance. The club is a meeting place and it provides a venue for fun, entertainment and a sense of community.
Our club values the individual, family and community and provides an inclusive environment where our people feel they are making a contribution, they feel valued and that they belong.
We are proud of the diversity we have within the group and promote this strongly, always looking to embrace umpires with different backgrounds and their own unique stories to share.
Our club teaches and nurtures specific skills and, in turn, develops self-esteem and a sense of pride and confidence among individuals. We promote participation which in turn enhances health, fitness and well-being.
As umpires, our club is unique, but really no different to our community football clubs.
UMPIRE DEVELOPMENT IN THE EFNL:
At the EFNL, we are committed to the ongoing recruitment, development and retention of umpires at both junior and senior levels, across all disciplines.
Led by a vastly experienced and passionate team of coaches, the EFNL umpires have strong talent development pathway programs that sees umpires progress from under nines to senior community football and through to the elite level, with a number of field, boundary and goal umpires having progressed to VFL, AFLW & AFL in recent seasons.
These programs allow umpires to grow in their umpiring by providing the necessary steps to develop their skills throughout their umpiring journey through both theory & practical training. The EFNL conducts programs that help umpires to not only make the right decisions but to cope with the match day environment.
BENEFITS OF UMPIRING:
With around 600 appointments each week during the season, it is easy to know why we want more good people to join us; but what does umpiring have to offer you? Well, there is so much you can get from umpiring and whilst many will start out looking for a bit of extra money in their pocket, many end up with lifelong friends and develop very strong skills they can use in everyday life.
These skills include; teamwork, communication, resilience, conflict resolution, organisation, time management, decision making under pressure and more.
INDUCTION PROGRAM:
We provide new umpires with a comprehensive introduction to umpiring through our unique Flags & Whistles Umpire Induction Program. This innovative program provides you with overview of all the on and off-field umpiring requirements and gives all new umpires the opportunity to practice field, boundary & goal umpiring.
FORMER & CURRENT PLAYERS UMPIRING
Over recent years, the EFNL Umpires have recruited many retired players. They have found the transition to umpiring enjoyable, satisfying and rewarding.
Staying involved in the game was their priority and in becoming an umpire they remain involved on field with the best seat in the house… but without all the hits and bumps.
One of the features of our junior umpire program is the attraction of a high volume of players into umpiring ranks.
In addition to the benefits listed above, we believe that umpiring delivers complementary benefits to players, and in turn their teams; enhancing their awareness of the game, understanding of the rules and leadership capabilities.
We respect that playing comes first and work around that with training and match appointments.
REMUNERATION
Umpires are paid monthly through an automatic bank transfer and as it is regarded as a hobby, match payments are tax free.
Uniform and Umpires Association fees can be automatically deducted from the umpire’s match payments.
Pay rates vary depending on the grade of senior football or the age group in junior football and whether it is field, boundary or goal umpiring.
Umpires who demonstrate a positive attitude, contribute to the team, show commitment and an appropriate level of skill in their umpiring discipline can gain selection in the finals series which sees a bonus match payment paid on top of the home & away match fee.
NOW YOU WANT TO BECOME AN UMPIRE…
Anyone interested in becoming an umpire in 2021 (beginners, current and former players, athletes from other sports) contact EFNL Head of Umpiring, Peter Carey (Mobile 0413 814 575 / email pcarey@efnl.org.au) or register via the link below.
SEASON 2021 REGISTRATION:
For all new umpires and for those umpires who registered in 2020 and earlier, and have not yet registered for 2021, we encourage you to please do so here as registration does not carry forward automatically.
PRE-SEASON TRAINING:
Monday and Wednesday evening
6:00pm – 7:30pm
Lewis Park Reserve
Lewis Road
Wantirna South
