Umpiring

Have you ever thought about umpiring to ‘up’ your game?
If the answer is yes, great, get your whistle ready, we need you.

Netball umpiring isn’t really about enforcing rules – it’s an integral part of the netball community as umpires help keep the game safe, fair and fun for everyone. We welcome new and experienced umpires to our program. If you are interested in joining us add your details here.

Rules of Netball Exam

The Rules of Netball Exam is the first step towards becoming a club badged umpire. It is an expectation that anyone starting out (regardless of age or playing experience) will complete the exam. There is a small cost involved and a 70% mark pass rate is required. To access the Exam go to MyNetball and click on the Learning Tab. Once completed, a PDF certificate can be downloaded. Please email certificates to our Umpire Coordinators.

Foundation Umpire Education Course

This online course is for those umpires who want to move to the next level. It is a pre-requisite for attaining an Association and/or National C badge. It helps umpires develop their skills and takes them towards official accreditation. Our recommendation is to complete the course once an umpire has gained some practical on-court experience. To access the course go to Netball Australia’s e-learning portal.

IWNA Umpiring Courses

IWNA will be running umpiring workshops and/or clinics in March:

IWNA Rules & Umpire Coaching Workshop: Monday, 11th March (6:30pm @ Cintra)
- This course is for experienced, badged umpires only. 1st half of workshop will be an update on the new rules; 2nd half of the workshop will be focused on tips and guidance on how to best coach trainee umpires. We strongly advise all Club badged and above umpires to attend at least the first half of this session for the update on the new rules. And Association and above badges to also stay for the coaching section.
IWNA Junior Umpire Clinic: Saturday, 16th March (9:00am to 11:00am @ Cintra)
- This clinic will provide an introduction to umpiring and the rules and is open to umpires 12 years and above. This course is a pre-requisite for any new trainee umpires, and recommended for any existing trainees needing a pre-season refresher on the rules. Participants will need to bring their own pen, finger grip whistle (available for sale if required), scrunchie (for their wrist), hat and water bottle and be dressed in clothes (activewear) that allow them to participate. Club uniform is not required.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How old do I have to be to umpire?
At LWNC, we require our umpires to be 12yrs and over. We feel this is old enough to handle the rules of the game, players, and spectators.
I’m new to umpiring. Is there a course I can do?
Yes, the IWNA hosts a practical Umpiring Course around March each year. This is great for new umpires and those wanting to refresh their skills. Keep an eye on our socials and website for updates
Will I get paid?
Yes! If you are badged by The Club, you will be paid $15 per game.
What happens once I've done the Rules of Netball Exam?
We contact you and add you to the umpire roster. New umpires will be paired with a runner, an experienced umpire who will support and help you gain experience whilst you learn on the job. They will assess your development and once they feel you’re ready, you will be put forward for assessment for your Club umpiring badge. Once successful, we will give you a white umpire shirt from the Club. This is your Club Badge, meaning we feel you are experienced enough to umpire on your own. Fun perk: at this stage, you will be paid.
How will I find out what game I'm rostered on?
Once we know everyone’s availability and the game schedule is out, you will be allocated a team to umpire. As much as possible, you will remain with them for the season. There will likely be some opportunity for additional games (subject to other umpires being unavailable), so we may reach out to you on an ad hoc basis. Of course, for our already-badged umpires, we encourage you to umpire as many games as you can, to help build your confidence and skill.
Is there anything I need to do on the day before the game?
Yes! Prior to your first umpiring game each week, you will need to sign in on the IWNA umpires sheet, which will be located on a table, in front of the main office and Club House at Cintra. It is best to do this for all of your allocated games to umpire each week.

In the case of a learner umpire and a runner, both should sign prior to the game.

Please be court-side, ready to umpire 10 minutes prior to the game’s start time. Please check-in with your allocated team’s manager/coach so they know you have arrived.

Prior to game commencing, please check the nails of your team.. Please check for correct uniform, (LWNC dress, or shorts/top, white short socks, appropriate footwear. No jumpers, singlets or leggings can be worn during play. NO Jewellery is allowed, including rings, watches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, or any head-dressings.

Don’t forget your whistle and a hair tie. This will be helpful to move from hand to hand, to keep track of who has the next centre pass.

In the case of a forgotten whistle, these are available to purchase from the canteen at Cintra.
Do I have to buy an umpire uniform?
No, once you are badged you will receive an umpire shirt from the Club. Until then your LWNC uniform is fine to wear.
How can I get 'badged' and what does this mean?
Being badged means you have met the minimum Club standard to run games on your own. As you get more confident and build up your hours, you can then go for your association badge. Further study/exams are available to accredit to State and National level umpiring.
I’m an experienced, badged umpire and would like to train new umpires, how do I get involved?
Great! If you are Association badged or above, we’d love for you to assist us and help train new umpires. Please reach out to the umpire coordinators with your availability and we’ll assign you to a new umpire to ‘run’ alongside and to provide guidance.
I have a national C badge. How do I top up my accreditation points?
NSW Netball holds a C Camp for association C badged umpires. The topics covered include progression and pathway, positioning and vision, procedures and protocols, and playing the ball. Visit NSW Netball to see when the next course will be held.
Can I umpire for just a couple of games?
Commencing in the first round means you are committing to the full season. We will try to keep you on the same team and round each week for consistency.
Will all new umpires start in round one?
To set realistic expectations, we always have more new umpires than runners. This means that not all of our newbies will get experience from round 1. There will be a waiting list. Once some of our more experienced individuals are badged, we can start shuffling people around. We will do our best to give as many people a go as possible but please be patient, it is a huge job!

Please contact our Umpire Coordinators if you have a question or require further information