Have we ever missed a goal, dropped a mark or made an incorrect decision in life, business or sport? The answer is clearly yes and more likely many times over.
We are in or approaching that time of the year when the ramifications of mistakes on the football field or the netball courts can be amplified in the finals.
Unfortunately most of the emotion and frustration is directed at our umpires and the message is for all involved in finals at all levels, is to manage your disappointments, frustrations and emotions. During the season the “Umpiring is Everyone’s Business” campaign was launched and still features on television.
We wish all competing teams in the finals every success and we sincerely hope that all players, coaches, administrators and supporters all enjoy the experience. Be proud of your direct involvement as a player, coach or umpire in reaching a finals berth or a grand final berth, and equally if you have family members involved support them and their team positively and not like a “goose” and spoil it for everyone.
The WorkSafe VCFL are really pleased with the umpire development programs that are being delivered currently and over recent years and our numbers of accredited umpire are up for the third consecutive year to over 3000 umpires. The game cannot afford to make steady increases, whilst at the same time lose up and coming umpires, or any umpires for that matter, due to abuse and ridicule.
Over the next five to six weeks all stakeholders need to lead from the front with positive messages and tangible support for all umpires. Let’s all reinforce the message that personal abuse and ridicule of umpires is not acceptable throughout the WorkSafe VCFL.
The message is also equally important for our umpires in that they engage their performance towards a positive environment and resist the temptation to over react to the pressures of finals football. Everyone that takes the field generally feels that extra pressure and expectation and it is how it’s all managed with commonsense, firmness and fairness that will contribute to keenly contested spectacles.
In closing let’s enjoy the finals as spectators and barrack hard for your team and for those directly involved in the contest let’s remember there will be mistakes in the hustle and bustle of finals footy and netball by both players and umpires.
“It’s not what happens to you that matters – it’s what you do about it!”
Good Luck to everyone and enjoy your weekend of football and netball.
Best Regards,
Glenn Scott
Chief Executive Officer
WorkSafe Victorian Country Football League
Last Modified on 17/08/2010 14:44