ONE of central Victoria leading administrators and revered goal gun Greg Gadsden wants to help fix one of the sport’s biggest issues.
He has stepped up to lead the charge in the retention and recruitment of umpires.
Bendigo Umpires Association is finding it increasingly difficult to service six leagues across central Victoria - Bendigo, Heathcote District, Loddon Valley, North Central Bendigo Junior and Central Victoria Women.
Of the 100 field umpires who officiate games regularly across the six leagues, 50 per cent are aged between 50 and 75.
It’s a trend not uncommon across the state as recruiting new umpires is a constant battle.
Gadsden, who is president of Loddon Valley club Bears Lagoon-Serpentine, said local clubs had a big part to play in assisting umpire associations.
It starts with building relationships between clubs and umpires.
“We’d like to have umpires come out to our training once every six weeks from pre-season all the way through,’’ Gadsden said.
“It educates our players and gives the umpires and players a better chance to get to know each other. Importantly, it also gives the umpires the chance to recruit. The four senior leagues the BUA covers - Bendigo, North Central, Heathcote and Loddon Valley - there’s over 1500 players playing the game each year.
“Every year there’s players that retire. If we can even get five to 10 retired players each year from across the four leagues to take up umpiring... then it has to build the stocks to service those four leagues.
“I’d love to see every club jump on board and get involved (in helping to recruit umpires).
“We believe that some of the best umpires are former players who have an understanding of the frustration and emotions of playing the game.
“At the end of the day we need each other. Umpires need the clubs and the clubs need the umpires. We need to be able to work together.”
A self-confessed cheeky forward in his playing days in the 1980s and 1990s, Gadsden said he enjoyed the banter he had with umpires on and off the field in that era.
With that banter came mutual respect - something that Gadsden thinks is sadly lacking in modern football.
“As a club, we’re trying to build that relationship between umpires and the players and coaches,’’ Gadsden said.
“In the past, umpires would come into the rooms after games, have a drink and mix with the players, coaches and committee for half an hour or so.
“I want our players and coaches to know the umpires. We’re all humans, it’s not a case of us and against them, but it feels like it’s become a bit like that and we want to change that narrative.
“I’m very big with our players that at the end of the game they say thanks to the umpires, irrespective of how they thought the umpire performed that day.
“The point is to build that relationship with the umpires, so that we get more people wanting to umpire games rather than drifting out of the game.
“Players make mistakes all day everyday when they play and we know umpires are going to make mistakes. It’s not about that, it’s about being able to have that rapport and respect between the players and umpires.
“If we can start getting that connection back between umpires and players and umpires and the clubs, it will go a long way to getting that respect back for umpires.”
Any club or individual who would like more information about umpiring, can contact the BUA via bendigoumpires@gmail.com