Umpires are the cornerstone of all sports. All sports have variations of officials, whether you call them umpires, referees, judges, or other titles.
Without umpires, the game couldn’t be played. Their importance is key to the flow of the game, from keeping score to keeping the players safe and honest. They must be physically and mentally fit and stay completely unbiased in order to do their job correctly. Umpires are just as vital to the game as players and coaches.

There are many different reasons for wanting to become an umpire for the Perth Football League. Whether you have high hopes of moving up as an umpire in the leagues, or you simply want a way to keep your fitness levels up. Umpiring is a great way to stay fit and active while being able to meet new people, make friends, and learn new skills. Some may think it’s a “man’s job” to umpire, but there are many women who umpire for the Perth Football League due to their passion for the game. “I have this weird thing where I feel little bit like when I’m out there, I’m representing every girl. It sounds silly when I say like that, but I feel a bit like if a male umpire umpires badly, people will say ‘he’s a bad umpire,’ but if I umpire badly, they’ll say ‘women are bad umpires,’” (Tahlia Satti, 2^nd year at PFL).

Whether you are a female or male umpire, the job brings considerable challenges. You must be able to stay physically fit in order to keep up with the players and keep your mind sharp in order to not miss plays. You are also forced to deal with the possible disrespect towards your calls. Your call could be the deciding factor of a team winning and losing, so tensions are bound to run high, but if you love being an umpire, you can push through and believe in yourself, your abilities and your calls. “As I’m entering into my twilight umpiring career, my goal is to create a culture where females feel empowered to pursue their passion for umpiring and to reach their full potential,” (Amy Markusic, over 15 years at PFL)

Players are not the only people who need to stay mentally and physically fit on the football field. Umpires must be able to keep up with the players in order to fulfil their role during the game. Common ways for all umpires to physically prepare for games are such things as eating well, getting a good night's rest before game day and going through warm-ups/stretches prior to game start. Although physical preparation is important, one must not forget the importance of preparing mentally. Having strong beliefs in your own knowledge and abilities could make or break a good game. “The most important skill an umpire needs is confidence in their knowledge of the game- otherwise you don’t trust your ability to read the game and call decisions,” (Athena Mendoza, 4 years at PFL).

It is common for players, coaches, and spectators to disagree with an umpire's call in a game, especially when that call negatively impacts their team. It is important for an umpire to remain unbiased when they are umpiring a game, and it is just as important for others to remember that the umpire is simply just doing their job and respect must always be shown to them, just as much as the other people on the field. “I have felt the change, and it is slowly getting better over the last few years – we need to keep up with education and campaign to highlight the importance of respect for umpires - As some old habits still exist today” (Amy Markusic). Female umpires used to face a harsher form of disrespect simply because they were female, but times have changed, and the idea of women in football, whether player or umpire, has dramatically changed, and more women are finding their passion on the field. There may still be a long way to come in terms of people fighting “old habits”, but we are going in the right direction in proper respect for umpires in the sport.

“Enjoy the game. Enjoy being able to blow the whistle and trust yourself and your knowledge. And don’t take any bad mouthing from anyone,” (Athena Mendoza). It is always encouraged for more people to join up and become umpires. There are many different articles/links on the Perth Football League website that go into more detail about how to sign up to become an umpire.

Written by Kerryn Wilson