| About Us |
| Wednesday, 11 March 2009 14:02 | |
Introduction The Riddell Umpires, formally Riddell District Football League Umpires Association, is a body of field, boundary and goal umpires who officiate in both senior and junior games in the Riddell District Football League. (RDFL) 2010 RDFL Umpires Committee PROPERTY: Adam Icely TREASURER: Cheryl Rath SOCIAL: Ken Freeman TRIBUNAL: Terry Duffy MANAGER OF UMPIRING OPERATIONS: Brian Collins SENIOR FIELD COACH: Michael O'Keeffe BOUNDARY COACH: Andrew Brown GOALS COACH: Richard Patterson JUNIOR COACH: Glen Shilling FITNESS COACH: Anthony Rhodes
Interested In Becoming An Umpire? We always welcome new umpires field, boundary or goal. If you would like to know more about becoming and umpire you can do so via one of the following methods: E-mail: You can e-mail us by clicking "Contact Us" above Phone: If you wish to contact us via phone you can call our General Manager, Glen Shilling at 0408 507 293.
Training We train at MacPherson Park in Coburns Road Toolern Vale (Melton), at 6.15pm each Wednesday night. Training predominantly involves fitness work, and a combination of umpiring skills, and theory/coaching sessions. We offer all new umpires to undertake the AFL’s accreditation program, which is delivered as part of an umpire’s training and development.
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 marry-up 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 umpiring discipline, and the grade of football umpired. A first year umpire can expect to receive around $500 plus in their first year, while some experienced umpires earn in excess of $2,500 for their season.
Where do we umpire? Predominantly the Riddell Umpires provide officials to the RDFL senior competition on a Saturday, and the RDFL junior competition on a Sunday. The Riddell zone uses Sunbury as an approximate hub, and extends north to Broadford, takes in the Macedon Ranges, and expends south to Melton – Bacchus Marsh – Rockbank. Umpires are also provided to the Ballarat Football League. By incorporating this competition in our portfolio, we provide umpires the opportunity to umpires at a 'A' division level. These games will only be in our catchment area. Where possible, on match days umpires are kept reasonably close to their home base, although there is travel involved; that is the nature of the sport. |