Umpire numbers rising in 2024
Umpiring in Victoria has experienced significant growth early in 2024, with strong numbers registered across the state.
Year-to-date figures indicate a 37% growth in overall umpiring numbers, and significantly, there has also been a 62.5% growth in women and girls umpiring registrations.
Community umpiring groups are experiencing above-average training attendance during the pre-season period. An example of this is the Yarra Junior Football League, a large junior-only league across the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, which has seen a five-week period of 100-160 umpires attending training. The league says this is an increase of around 100 participants from preseason training in 2023.
YJFL Program Manager – Umpiring and Clubs, Cameron Nash, said: “Over the first four weeks of pre-season training, we have had consistent numbers of 130-plus each week in attendance, including 200 first-year umpires and parents at our induction session.
“We have taken on a targeted recruiting drive within our football clubs, which has seen a huge amount of interest in umpiring. Also pleasing is the growth in women and girls participation, with 60 registered women and girls umpires for this season and many of those attending training regularly.”
AFL Victoria has also provided support through the facilitation of 12 School Based Umpiring Academies. Partnering with local community umpiring groups, these programs take students through the ins and outs of umpiring, providing them with opportunities to umpire NAB AFL Auskick grid games and eventually transition into community football.
Leigh Buwalda, AFL Victoria Recruitment & Retention Lead, said: “We have seen significant interest from both schools and students in our umpiring program, which is a free program for both parties.
“School programs will fill five NAB AFL Auskick grid games within the first six rounds of the AFL season, which is a great result and will no doubt have a positive transition back into community umpiring groups.”
AFL umpires have also provided support through the 2024 AFL Umpire Community Roadshows, which have been hosted at Mildura, Swan Hill, Horsham and Warrnambool, with future visits planned for Shepperton, Korumburra and Sale.
Community umpiring groups use these visits as a promotional opportunity by adding school visits and promoting umpire visits to their senior and junior football clubs. They are also a retention activity for their existing umpires, who can experience training led by AFL umpires as well as the opportunity to engage and ask questions.
