How old do I need to be in order to umpire?
Individuals who will be turning 14 years of age before September 30 in the year that they are umpiring will be eligible umpire for the season. EFNL welcomes umpires of all ages, and encourages more mature aged recruits, there are umpires in the group aged from 13-60+
I’m a parent of a prospective umpire – what should I know?
Being in at least Year 8/9 it is assumed that umpires will have their own email address which they must be responsible for checking, as this is the main means of communication. Even our newest umpires are encouraged to communicate directly with our Umpiring Department staff when necessary rather than relying on parents to call. For most young umpires this will be their first part-time job, and it is a great opportunity to learn to communicate on an adult level about work matters.
Please encourage young umpires to take ownership of their job, and ensure they understand that all communications must conform to what would be deemed suitable in an office or one of their teachers at school. It is important to include name and contact details when communicating with all staff and umpire coaches.
Field umpires are responsible for filling out an online report after each match. This should be done on match day, as younger umpires are at school and not contactable on Monday which is when pays are finalised. If after several attempts to contact an umpire by email/text without response a parent will be contacted but this is not preferred.
Part of the reasoning behind this request is to encourage our young boys and girls to become confident young adults. Umpiring is a fantastic way of developing their self-confidence and leadership skills at during senior secondary.
Do I need a minimum fitness level?
A general level of fitness is required to be an umpire. In 2023, a base level of fitness will be assessed during the year at training. More important is the commitment required to maintain or increase fitness levels during the season.
Male or Female?
Everyone is equally welcomed to be part of the EFNL Umpiring club, boys, girls, men and women are encouraged to register.
How much do I need to know about Australian Rules football and its laws?
You will be fully trained on the laws of Australian Rules football, along with the By-Laws specific to competition within the EFNL. But, if you want to get an early start, hit this link here for the AFL Laws of the Game!
Training venues and times? ( In season April to September)
Junior Umpires – Mondays are at Springfield Park, Mt Dandenong Rd – Croydon,6:00-7:00pm.
Senior Umpires
Mondays are at Springfield Park, Mt Dandenong Rd – Croydon,6:00-7:00pm.
Wednesday’s are at Fred Geale Oval,– Norton Rd, Croydon 5.30pm-6.30pm.
Coaching Sessions (Theory) are held after fitness training on both nights. These sessions are conducted in our clubrooms at Springfield Park – Mt Dandenong Rd – Croydon
What do I WEAR to training?
During pre-season training it is often very warm, so wear suitable clothing and bring a FULL drink bottle. As the evenings get colder, wear ‘layered’ clothing. This will keep you warm when you are inactive and allows you to remove layers when doing skill drills. Be sure to name all garments so your property does not go missing.
What do I have to BRING with me?
WHISTLE! Always bring your whistle to training! If you are not sure what whistle to buy, the model is:
Acme Thunderer
At the beginning of the season, umpires will be provided with online links to the Laws of Australian Rules Football, the By-Laws of the EFNL, as well as an Umpires Handbook. Umpires should be familiar with all these resources. If required, we will inform umpires to bring any paperwork or a smartphone/tablet to training. Generally, just bring a whistle and appropriate footwear.
** Bring a drink bottle **
How often do I need to ATTEND training?
Training is held weekly and we encourage and expect umpires to attend one session per week.
What can I EXPECT from a training session?
Training sessions mainly include knowledge and skills components.
It is assumed that umpires have a base level of fitness; therefore, fitness is secondary to developing the umpire’s knowledge of the laws, where to position themselves, developing confidence to enforce the rules, and their ability apply them on game day.
Who will be COACHING me?
The EFNL Umpire Coaches all have significant umpiring experience and have been provided with the coaching skills to enable them to develop the umpires in their charge.
How much will training COST?
Umpire coaching/training sessions are free of charge to all umpires registered to officiate in the EFNL. Umpires are paid to officiate games which makes umpiring possibly the best value sport there is! An EFNL Umpires Uniform will be required to officiate games.
What happens if it is RAINING?
Training will still be still on! If it is too wet to be outdoors, training will be held undercover / in the club rooms. If the weather is extreme (heat/cold/rain), keep an eye on the website and your emails and we will advise if training has been cancelled.
How do I register my interest for next season?
If you are:
1) Interested in umpiring for the first time
2) Already an umpire in another league and wish to be appointed to games in the EFNL, or
3) Wanting to return to the EFNL for another year of umpiring,
How do I register as an Umpire in the EFNL?
Registrations are now open for 2023.
Those interested in becoming an umpire can register at www.efnl.org.au .
I’ve registered. What happens now?
Once you have registered for the first time you will soon receive more information about the season ahead.
What are my Umpiring Options?
Field
A challenging and rewarding activity, field umpires take control of up to 36 players and ‘call the shots’ on the big stage. The field umpiring career path involves multiple stages, with the pinnacle being umpiring at AFL level. The EFNL appoints field umpires each week in all games from Under 8s through to Under 17 in girls & boys juniors and u19s through to seniors in our men’s competition and Women’s senior football.
Boundary
For those who enjoy running or want to learn about the game from a bit more distance, boundary umpiring is ideal. Boundary umpires are responsible for making decisions to whether the ball is in play (or out!), as well performing the boundary throw-in. In the EFNL, boundary umpires officiate in our Senior Saturday EFNL competition as well as all junior & senior Finals.
Goal
In the EFNL, goal umpires are appointed only during our Saturday senior competition & both junior & senior Final Series.
Uniform – What COLOUR uniform (shirt and socks) do I wear?
In 2023, all umpires are expected to wear the green and grey uniform (by xblades) with our major partner logo Carsales on it. This consists of a green shirt, grey shorts and green/grey socks & sweatbands. All umpires are required to wear the EFNL uniform.
How do I get the UNIFORM and how much can I expect it to cost?
Field & Boundary Uniform
Green Shirt: $39
Grey Shorts: $39
Green Socks: $13
Sweat Bands (wrist): $13
Goal Umpire Uniform
Long Sleeve Shirt: $45
Cap:$17
Jacket:$75
NEW FIRST YEAR UMPIRES REGISTERED FOR 2023 RECEIVE 1 FREE UNIFORM
How do I pay?
Payment for uniform is required to be made online through Airsquare at the time of order. If you are a first year umpire you will need to select 1st year Umpire this will ensure that you won’t be charged for your free umpire uniform.
Once your order is received you will receive as confirmation email advising you of when your uniform will be available for pick up.
Where & when will I be umpiring?
All umpiring within the EFNL is on both Saturday (Senior competition) & Sunday (Junior Competition). There occasionally may be a Friday night match available, as a few clubs are experimenting with this as a fixturing option.
WHERE and WHEN you will be umpiring depends on a number of factors.
WHEN depends on the availability you set yourself. Schedula is the fixturing program used to appoint umpires, and all umpires need to ensure they update the times they are available on a weekly basis.
Requests: Umpires have the opportunity to request appointments at particular venues/times. We will do our best to meet requests but sometimes these requests will not be able to be met.
Special needs games: Sometimes particular games are identified as requiring umpires with a specific skill set. In these instances umpires are chosen if they are the “best fit” the game.
What paperwork is involved?
ALL field umpires are expected to download the Match Day Paperwork app onto their smartphone or tablet and enter the games “Competition Match Report” or CMR online by the end of the weekend of matches. This form is submitted by ONE umpire only per match (umpires to agree on who does it), and includes the entry of participating umpires, Best and Fairest votes and behaviour ratings for that game. For this reason, it is VITAL that this is correctly filled out after every match. Umpires will not be paid unless this requirement is fulfilled. Any paperwork not submitted in time will be followed up by EFNL staff during the week. It is recommended that all paperwork is stored safely after online entry until the end of the season as a back up, sometimes information is required to be resubmitted or revisited and it good to have your notes at hand (a display folder works well for this).
What is Stack TeamApp and do I need it?
YES, please download Team App from the App Store or Google Play Store now. Search for Umpire EFL and request access to your or your child’s relevant Umpire Group. As an umpire and/or a parent, Team App will be so important for your umpiring journey in 2023.
Team App is used as the primary source of communication to Umpires and Parents. Training attendance, training details, important documents, news, events, available games, and much much more is all posted on Team App
WHO will mentor me?
The EFNL Umpiring Department have a team of mentors and experienced umpires who have a varying level of experience in the EFNL.
Game allocation HOW do I find out when and where I will be umpiring?
Umpires receive notification of each appointment/s via an online system called Schedula. Appointments are released on the Wednesday afternoon prior to each weekend’s round of games. Each umpire must accept their appointment by Thursday morning.
Umpires are expected to accept any game allocated to them. Refusal of an appointment when you have marked yourself as available for that time is not recommended and will jeopardise your chances of being allocated to a game the following week.
Further details will be provided to umpires at pre-season training and induction.
It is ESSENTIAL that umpires declare themselves as “available” or “unavailable” each week in Schedula as per their football, family, transport or other commitments. Failure to do so will result in not being allocated a game (or strong likelihood of being allocated a game when you are unavailable on a given day).
Payment – How much do I EARN as an umpire?
Pay rates depend on the age of the competition officiated, and the type of umpiring you are undertaking (field or boundary or goal). As you would expect, more experienced umpires who are officiating at older age games are paid more than those umpiring younger age groups – which, in itself, provides umpires with the incentive to develop and increase their skill set.
Pay rates for field umpires in juniors start at $52 per game for an Under 10s and gradually rising to $76 for Under 17s.
Senior football rates are dependent on grade & division:
Boundary range $52 in U19s to $95 in senior football
Goal Umpires range $43 in U19s to $81 in senior football
Field Umpires range $80 in U19s to $147 in senior football
When and how am I paid?
Umpire payments are made directly into an umpire’s bank account fortnightly and are only made once the umpire fulfils all their report duties post-match (filling out an online form).
Do I need a Tax File Number (TFN)?
No. There is no tax deducted from your pay. As umpiring is classed as a “sport/hobby” by the ATO there is no need to declare income from umpiring on a tax return.
