Welcome to the Mid Sth East Umpires Panel
Training & Coaching
2019 Pre Season training has commenced, please contact Neil Weber for confirmation of venue and times.
The umpires panel generally trains at the Glencoe Football Oval at 6.00pm each Wednesday during the home and away season.
Training predominantly involves fitness work, and a combination of umpiring skills, and theory/coaching sessions.
The First Few Games
A new umpire is not "thrown in the deep end". A mentoring and development program is in place where a new umpire is teamed with an experienced umpire for the first weeks of the new umpire's introduction to sports officiating.
The coaching staff and observers are usually present at any game where a new umpire is starting out. With both on-field and off-field support, the new umpire will learn on the job, and will quickly integrate his coaching and skills work with what is required on match day.
Match Payments
All umpires are paid a match payment in accordance with the MSEFL Umpiring Schedule. Match payments vary according to the grade of football umpired. A first year umpire can expect to receive around $500+ in their first year, while some experienced umpires earn in excess of $2,000 for their season.
Where do we Umpire?
The Mid Sth East Umpires Panel provide officials to the Mid South East Football League. Competitions officiated are Seniors (A Grade), Reserves (B Grade) and Senior Colts. There is also opportunity for umpire exchanges between our neighbouring leagues in Kowree Naracoorte and Western Border Football Leagues, which provide another opportunity for our umpires to develop and further their skills. The Mid South East Football League is fortunate to be in close proximity to both Mount Gambier and Millicent, and on match days umpires are kept reasonably close to their home base, although there is travel involved, that is the nature of the sport.
Career Path
While most of the umpiring panel are happy to remain involved at the local level, some new umpires embark as a footy umpire with an aspiration to take their skills to the highest level achievable. There is a clear and definitive pathway for those umpires that show potential. You may be invited to join the SANFL Umpiring Academy, and from here, there will be opportunities to improve and excel throughout an exciting career at the elite level.
Highlights
In parallel with football players, umpires aspire to be selected to participate at higher level games. Interleague matches, SA Country Championships, and Representative Level Championships, and of course MSEFL Final Matches are all important to umpiring. Each year the best performers of the season have the opportunity to Umpire throughout the final series, culminating in the Grand Final.
Umpires selected for these premier days of each season enjoy the thrill of umpiring in front of huge crowds, on 'showcase' days and the thrill and memory of the occasions are long remembered.
For further information or if you are interested in umpiring in the MSEFL this season, please contact Neil Webber, Umpires Director on 0427 809 156.