​This month we're profiling AFL Goal Umpire Alistair. Alistair was fortunate enough to umpire the curtain raiser at the 'G on AFL Grand Final day in 2015 and made his debut in the AFL in Round 5 of this year. His zip and enthusiasm contributes a lot of energy to the Goalie group at Coorparoo.


​What made you first want to become an umpire?
I was playing under 11’s in the local Toowoomba competition and had a lot of friends playing in the under 13s after my game.  While I was never much of a player I really wanted to help out and running the boundary to assist the field umpire seemed like a fun thing to do especially when the pay was a pie and a can of soft drink! I loved it.  One day I volunteered to be a goal umpire out at Goondiwindi for the 13s and the Regional umpire manager was the field umpire, he told me he liked what he saw and that I should take up goal umpiring.  Haven’t looked back since.
 
What do you do outside of umpiring?
I’m a full time student studying pharmacy at the University of Queensland and I work twice
a week in a community pharmacy as a dispensing assistant.
 
Has football always been a part of your life before umpiring?
I come from Gatton originally which is known as being a big rugby league capital in the Lockyer Valley but luckily for me my dad hails from country Victorian and grew up playing football so a keen AFL following was inevitable.  I’ve had a keen interest in AFL as early back as 2002 and still remember the occasion trips down to the Gabba with dad. 
 
How have you found the change from State League to AFL? Is there something in particular that you’ve really had to adjust to?
The media, crowds and the overall pace of the game were the three biggest changes I’ve found so far.  I think pace would be the most important thing to take on board and adjust to.
 
What has been your most memorable moment as an umpire?  
The first time decision I had in my debut game would top the list.

Are there any particular coaches or umpires who have had an impact on you in your time as an Umpire?
There’s been so many, to put it simply everyone who’s given me feedback over the years to get me to this point have had an important impact.

A lot of people have the misconception that there is not too much fitness involved with goal umpiring. However, what’s actually involved with fitness and match preparation for a goal umpire at the AFL level?
Fitness wise we have a 3km time trial to run at the start of each year and during the season along with agility tests and beep tests.  For the 3km trials we’re set individual times and we’re expected to make those times and make steady improvements throughout the year.  Happy to report I’ve been under my required times!
 
What advice do you have for anyone thinking of becoming an umpire?
Be open and respond positively to feedback, in the end it can be what makes or breaks a potential umpire and just keep putting in the effort each week and the opportunities will present themselves.
 

In a special ANZAC round post, this week we feature field umpire and field community coach Kyle Coleman. A member of both the Defence Force and our umpiring group, Kyle is the perfect umpire to profile for ANZAC day.

What made you first want to become an umpire?
After numerous injuries from a stint playing Rugby Union, I decided I wanted to get back into AFL and to give back to the game I was brought up on. I decided that I wanted to look at being an umpire and being involved in this way.
 
What do you do outside of umpiring?
I work for The Australian Army. I have been in the Army since I was 17, and have done 25 years service. I enjoy watching movies, reading and having friends for dinner, and a few quite beers.
 
You’ve managed to combine your Defence and footy lives with umpiring Defence games. What’s that like?
It’s hard, as sometimes I can be away for weeks, even months, at a time. This can be both here in Australia, overseas or on an operational deployment. It can be hard on the family, as sometimes you have limited and sporadic communication with them. It’s hard because you can miss so much of life here, and they worry when they don’t hear from me. It can be tough because you can’t always call or email. But Defence footy is passionate! When you have service rivalry, it’s like watching a grudge match every match. The players are all fit and they are all willing to put their body on the line for the name of their service, and this is for both the men and the women.
 
What has been your most memorable moment as an umpire?
Umpiring a Grand Final is always memorable, but umpiring on the Adelaide Oval in a curtain raiser for an AFL game over the ANZAC Day round would have to be one of the most memorable moments in my short umpiring career.
 
You started off as a field umpire and changed to goal umpiring after an injury. How have you found the change? Do you miss field umpiring?
I always thought goal umpires had it easy and that it couldn’t be that hard. I was sadly mistaken. The mental concentration and technical aspect is a lot harder than most people think. I did miss field umpiring, but after a serious ankle injury where I thought I wouldn’t be able to run again, goal umpiring was the way ahead. I worked hard during the season and the off season and I’m now running pain free and back into field umpiring.
 
You’re still involved with field umpiring in a community coaching role. What’s involved with that and how do you juggle this with your field umpiring and work commitments?
A lot of preparation during the week and weekends in my own time, getting feedback and talking to other coaches to ensure that I have a plan for that week’s training session. Work can sometime get in the way and as can trying to ensure that I’m also up to date with what is expected of field umpires - it’s a fine line.
 
What do you do to keep you fit and prepared for the demands of both the Army and umpiring?
I do three compulsory training sessions at work, CrossFit most mornings and runs of an evening. I ensure that I have at least one complete day off a week and I listen to my body. Both Army and umpiring can be demanding on the body, so I have to look after it and keeping fit and eating healthy is the best way.
 
What advice do you have for any younger umpires?
Believe in yourself; listen to your coaches and other senior umpires. Keep yourself fit, motivated and educated with what is going on in AFL. Don’t over analyse an interpretation or situation, as you will second guess yourself.  But above all else have fun; don’t take thing to seriously as it can be all over in a blink of an eye. 

Courtney has always been heavily involved in footy - it runs in the family. She trains with the QAFL/NEAFL group at Coorparoo and is the fastest girl on the track.

What made you first want to become an umpire?
What first got me interested in becoming an umpire was my father, Randall Gibson. He was always umpiring and started a camp at school where some of the AFLQ representatives came out and showed us a bit of what was involved. I joined with a couple of school friends and it was always fun as well as making some extra pocket money on the side.
 
What do you do outside of umpiring?
I am full time student at the Endeavour College of Natural Health studying to become a Naturopath. It’s practical and I love helping people with a focus on being natural. I also work at a local Italian restaurant a few nights a week.
 
Has football always been a part of your life before umpiring?
Football has always been a part of my life purely from having a Victorian family and Randall umpiring professionally before I was born then continuing throughout my childhood.
  
What has been your most memorable moment as an umpire?  
Grand finals and exhibition matches have been my most memorable moments so far. However I got the chance to umpire a QAFL Seniors match last season, which was a goal since the beginning. I also did the QFA North Seniors Grand Final last year on the boundary and the Australia vs the World exhibition match during last season’s U16s competition.

Are there any particular coaches or umpires who have had an impact on you in your time as an Umpire?
Everyone! The training and match day group is so helpful and resourceful that I’m sure everyone has helped me in some way during my time as an umpire. People such as James Waldorff, Lenny Davis, Grant Kent, Jason Baldwin, Brett Bradford, Gareth Hughes, Nick Lipparota, Nick Wade, Brett Kronk, Trevor Donoghue, the academy and all of the girls and many others have made a major impact on my journey so far. I should probably mention Randall as well as he has been my main motivation and inspiration for umpiring throughout the years.

What do you do to keep you fit and prepared for the demands of umpiring?
Two big things that I personally focus on are physical and mental preparation. As I need to train from Monday to Friday including the QAFL training at Coorparoo, it is important that I continually stretch and make use of the resources provided at training such as the physiotherapist, chiropractor and nutritionist just to name a few.
 
You started off as a boundary umpire and this year you’ve decided to tackle field umpiring. What made you decide on the change? 
For the last couple of seasons I’ve felt that I was starting to notice the rules more and learning about the field umpiring role, so for me I knew that I would always try field umpiring however the only hold back was the success and my improvement rate on the boundary. So after last season I was a bit hesitant however this season I just decided to follow my heart with the decision of changing to the field as I feel it’s a new chapter with new challenges ahead.
 
How have you found the change to field umpiring? Are there different things you have to focus on in your training and preparation now, and has it been difficult?
The field umpiring group and coaching staff at training have been very welcoming and helpful with any questions that I’ve had and any match situations that I need to learn. I feel it has been a smooth transition having so many resources around me and that I am learning the game processes more and more each week. In terms of training nothing has changed for me, I am still training with the same load and as mentioned above there is more of a focus for me in mental preparation for field umpiring.

What advice do you have for anyone thinking of becoming an umpire?
My advice would be for a person wanting to start umpiring, is to just have a go and stick with it, because you have nothing to lose and so much to gain. The training group could not be better for welcoming new people especially females and everyone is willing to help you – you just need to ask be willing to take on feedback for improvement. 

Steve has been involved in footy in a number of different roles over the years and this year will be his last as an umpire. In 2016, he blows the whistle on 16 years of umpiring; what an amazing achievement.

What made you first want to become an umpire?
I had done everything in football – played A grade, coached junior rep teams, club teams, and was junior president, as well as being on the BJAFL Board for a while. 16 years ago a Board member suggested I give umpiring a go as they needed people. I wanted to contribute further to our terrific game.
 
You have been involved in footy for a long time, what are some of your other footy achievements outside of umpiring?
I was a Level 2 coach, had done half of Level 3 but my job as a Research Officer in the government at the time got in the way of completing it. I did Level Accredited Sports Trainer course with Dean Warren over 16 weeks. I played A grade at 17 and Captained the U17 State side and had a pre-season with Melbourne AFC.  I have been at 5 footy clubs over the years in all sorts of roles – recruiter, admin, team manager, players advocate at tribunals, assistant coach, interchange steward, general roustabout, to name just a few. I have had a community radio show for 6 years.
 
What do you do outside of footy and umpiring?
I love triathlons; I’ve done 4 this summer with another one to go. My son, a high performance coach with Triathlon Australia wants to send me to the World Titles in Amsterdam next year in my age group category. I am certainly not the quickest, but I am thinking about it. I will have to qualify. I love being a parent and a grandparent. I have volunteered at Greenslopes Hospital, been a member of the local Lions Club and the SES as well as being VP for a Model Plane Flying Club. I was in the local Men’s Shed, but they are too old for me.
 
Tell us more about your radio segment. What’s involved?
It is a half hour show on 1296 4RPH on Fridays at 6.05pm. It takes about a day or 2 to prepare the script. I read as much footy as I can. I have interviewed Lethal Leigh Matthews, Brownie, Simon Black, Michael Voss, plus heaps of others. I intend introducing more local content this season in what amounts to about 30 shows a year.
 
What has been your most memorable moment as an umpire?  
Lots of them but none in particular. Doing Grand Finals, I suppose, along with Schools, Juniors, Women’s, and Masters Carnivals. Seeing Andrew Stephens, Alex Whetton and Cameron Williamson progress their respective careers, having seen them as juniors has been very satisfying.
 
What do you do to keep you fit and prepared for the demands of umpiring?
Triathlon and Gym stuff really – I ride 30 -35kms one day, swim 2.5 – 3 kms the next, run 5 – 10 kms and then the other days go to the gym for aerobic fitness. I like to do 2, sometimes 3 games a weekend. I don’t like sitting at home in front of a TV watching reality TV, pontificating pollies or hearing about the weather.
 
Any advice for younger umpires?
I want to do as much as I can to help. I tell them to stay focused as they will never get it 100% right all the time. Don’t worry about the odd few people that criticise. The players need and want you. You can stay fit and make lifelong friendships in our great game.

This week we feature one of our community umpires, Jeff Hunter. Jeff is passionate about his football and is an enthusiastic participant of the South Brisbane community group.






How did you first become an umpire?
I was the boundary umpire for Sandgate & one game I was talking to Wayne McGuinness and he said "Why don't you come & join us? You getting ripped off here." So I did.
 
What do you do outside of umpiring?  
I play and umpire with the Ferny Grove Falcons, and I also play guitar and bass in various music projects as well as write songs. I call myself a non-singer songwriter.
 
What was your first game like?  
I had to overcome a lot of ableism (the disability equivalent of racism) from some people who thought I couldn’t join the umpires. But I did the game which was really cool and the guys welcomed me to the Association. Ableism is their problem not mine.
  
What has been your most memorable moment as an umpire?  
The 1999 U/18 Grand Final Alex Hills v Morningside. The panthers got home by a point. I now call it the "Chelsea" Grand Final (who I did the game with). After the match the nerves & excitement of the week took its toll and I shed a tear... Or a 100. I also must mention the U/18 game two years later when a 7 point half time margin turn into an 86 point win.
I told my mother in 2012 that I would quit umpiring, but she did not want me to. She said "Oh you can umpire next year…& the next…Don't worry about me.” When she passed away I decided to continue for mum and when I got the 2013 women Grand Final it was the perfect way for me to honour her. Mum was the reason I did that season.
 
How do you prepare for each game?   
I make sure my bag is packed, drink plenty of water and play some music if I got time. At the ground I go and see the umps for the day get to know the ones that I haven't met before. I don't care who wins I only care about us having a good game.
 
What’s a typical training session like for you?
I do my laps warm up take time to do extra stretches and I like do some throw ins to see if I can improve that.
 
What challenges do you face as an umpire? 
Discrimination and ableism.  I have had players and officials refuse to shake my hand and trainers passing me on because they don't want to treat me. Sometimes even fellow umpires refuse to look at me or patronise me in front of the players but some players noticed this was going on and after the game they came straight away and congratulated me on my game. The out pouring of support was overwhelming by all other umpires which made me feel better.
 
Any advice for younger umpires?
Yes, don't let any personal clashes get in the way of your umpiring. It frustrates me when I hear kids giving up just because someone rubbed them the wrong way. Some kids get overwhelmed when they umpire with adults. I say don't be, there no need to be. Allow yourself to be mentored by more than one person. Make your decisions with conviction as a lack of it will make you look unsure and will spark arguing.

Gareth is one of our AFL listed boundary umpires​ who can frequently be seen running the track at Coorparoo with finesse and speed. He also likes to throw a lot of chat.

How did you first become an umpire?
I didn’t come from either a football or running background like most of our boundary umpires. My dad is a community field umpire and for years tried to convince me to take up boundary umpiring to improve my fitness for other sports I was playing. I finally said yes one year and the first session I attended was the Mt Coot-The Handicapped Invitational.  Dad threw me under the bus and suggested to Matthew McKenzie that I should start near the back of what ended up being a 14km loop due to the usual route being closed following a street-luger crash.  I came dead last by probably 20-30 minutes.   Thankfully things have improved slightly!
 
What do you do outside of umpiring?
Outside of umpiring I’m quite involved with university where I’m studying medicine.  I find medicine and umpiring provide a good balance as they place very different demands upon my faculties and it means I’ve always got something to take me away from the other when needed. 
 
What was your first game like?
If I’m honest I can’t remember much about my very first game at all other than it was at Yeronga.  I remember my first NEAFL game very well though.  I was quite fortunate to get an opportunity to umpire NEAFL football early in my first year and debuted at Morningside in torrential rain.  I came off covered in mud but thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
 
What has been your most memorable moment as an umpire?
I’ve been extremely lucky to experience a number of fantastic games and moments already in my umpiring career however the one that stands out the most is umpiring the curtain raiser to the 2014 AFL Grand Final at the MCG.  To be able to run around on such iconic Australian sports ground on AFL Grand Final day was incredible.  Add in the fact we got to stay for the main game and head down to the umpires’ rooms afterwards and it was a very special day. 
 
You’ve just been selected onto the AFL panel for 2016, congratulations! What have you had to do up to this point to gain selection? Walk us through the process.
Thanks!  The long-term process has been to work my way up through QAFL/NEAFL football and participate in development experiences such as U16 and U18 national championships.  Additionally, umpiring the State League grand final of your home state is a generally accepted prerequisite for AFL selection.
 
What’s a typical training session like for you?
It varies quite a bit between shorter interval sessions at high intensity and long continuous runs at a much slower pace.  My current week usually consists of three shorter, hard sessions and three medium to long continuous runs with one rest day. 
 
Any advice for younger boundary umpires?
Fitness is always the predominant factor with boundary umpiring and it’s something that is relatively easy to achieve providing you’re willing to put in the time and commitment.  Otherwise, don’t be afraid to ask questions and try learn as much as possible from coaches and fellow umpires.  I was very fortunate to build strong bonds with some of the more experienced umpires early in my career who took me under their wings and helped my progression.

In late 2013, the Community umpires started gathering down outside the Maritime Museum in South Brisbane to start their pre-Christmas fitness training. Very soon, a smiling and highly energetic young lady came walking down and immediately introduced herself to the group. 

Just over a year later, Belinda Stewart has emerged as a promising goal umpire, having been selected for both the Goal Umpire Academy and the NEAFL Goal Umpires panel. She has also become a very popular figure in the group thanks to high levels of happiness and energy on training nights and match days.

How did you first become an umpire?
I’ve had a pretty longstanding exposure to Australian Football as a direct result of two older brothers playing the game.  I used to water carry, attend the scoreboard and eventually had a go as a goal umpire volunteer for their teams. I was helping out with a Brisbane State High School match, when an AFL Queensland match manager suggested that I jump on board with the umpiring program and soon enough I did. 

Has football been part of your life before becoming an umpire?
Absolutely! My family is very involved in Aussie Rules and I had a few opportunities to play in mixed competitions in primary school. Although I didn’t play for club, I usually spent about four days a week at an AFL ground while my brothers were training. 

How long did it take for you to settle into the Community group?
The group made it almost impossible for me to shy away. Even at the first training session, I had at least thirty umpires approach me to introduce themselves. Within a few weeks I felt totally at home with the group of umpires from all disciplines. The Goal Umpires in the Community group are a cluster of friendly, approachable and skilled individuals. In my first few weeks, each and every goal umpire gave me invaluable tips and tricks of the trade.  With special mention to Allan Matheson, Danny Smith, Darryl Lyndon-Floate, Warren Derrick, Kyle Coleman and Shane Reiche, who really went above and beyond to foster my progress and development – thank you for your patience and tolerance. 

What was your first game like for you? How did it feel to walk out for your first game?
Fortunately I was guided by the keen tutelage of a fellow umpire, Danny Smith. Danny truly made it difficult for me to feel nervous about my first game, even after I accidentally dropped my flags in the first quarter. Danny definitely took me under his wing with his tremendous professionalism and embodiment of enthusiasm. It suffices to say that Danny has been a sensational mentor and friend since. 

What has been the most memorable moment as far as an umpire?
I would have to wind it down to having an opportunity to umpire at Metricon Stadium. The experience had me essentially bouncing off the walls before the game and the quality of the match was terrific. The team of umpires I was running with was very experienced, and took it upon themselves to encourage me into enjoying the game and feeling confident with my decisions. The atmosphere was very exciting and I’m positive I’ll remember it forever. 

Any particular coaches or umpires have an impact in your year as an Umpire?
One thing is for certain; there is an obscenely long list. Whether it’s the fellow umpires at training getting me over the finish line, the trainers providing their assistance and care, or the coaches that strive to make you better at every opportunity, everyone has had a remarkable influence. Michael O’Donnell, however, has been a true landmark in my whole experience as a goal umpire. Michael has an unparalleled sense of compassion in his coaching, which has given me every confidence as an umpire. 


You started off as a first year umpire and you’ve now landed in the NEAFL panel. That is an amazing climb up the ranks! Where to from here? 
It’s certainly been a wonderful journey; Aussie Rules umpiring has treated me overwhelmingly well! At this point, my goal is to perform consistently in the games that I am appointed to this season. I’m overjoyed, humbled and eager to begin the home and away matches. My aim is to keep training hard, formulate good friendships with the umpires who work beside me and do the very best I can to deliver the correct decisioning for teams on game day. Also, it’s a personal ambition to get women more involved in AFL and AFL umpiring.  

What advice do you have for anyone thinking of becoming an umpire in Australian Football?

It suffices to say, that my experience as a goal umpire has been nothing sheer of incredible. Umpiring, funnily enough, is brilliant for socializing. I sincerely believe that I’ve met some hilarious and considerate individuals. It is for this reason I suggest that people thinking about being an umpire should do their best to cherish the umpires around you, they’ve each got their innate story to share. Also, umpiring implicitly gives you an opportunity to grow as a person. Learning to take constructive criticism, endeavoring to beat personal bests, developing a sense of leadership and pride are all by-products of the umpiring profession. If you’re not certain whether umpiring is for you, my best advice is spreading a smile over your face and giving it a go to gauge for yourself whether you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. Just jump in, spread your wings and soar.