Junior Umpire Development Program
Umpire 2023 – Peeps in Green
Interested? Please register and take the survey. Feel free to contact Zoe Dick – Junior Umpiring Coordinators. Zoe: 0437 680 742
The Vic Park Panthers have developed an Umpire development program with the intent to develop and support our new and existing junior umpires.
The program comprises of three components:
- Umpire Cadet Program
- Umpire Mentors
- Junior Umpire
Umpire Cadet Program
Cadet Umpires will be introduced to junior umpiring at the Junior 5/6 Hockey level. The program has been developed to provide the support needed to ensure our newest umpires are encouraged and mentored at the start of their umpiring journey.
The athletes choosing to participate in the Umpire Cadet Program will be required to complete:
- Participate in the Peeps in Green Umpire Cadet Program
- Hockey Australia HockeyEd Community Umpire Program
- Play by the Rules – Child Protection
- Community Umpire Practical Assessment
Umpire Mentors
The Cadets will be allocated a Mentor for their game who will oversee and run with them while they are learning the ropes. The Mentor will provide feedback to the Cadets at the end of a game and provide a development sheet which the cadets can then utilise to refine their skills for development.
Junior Umpires
Junior Umpires are to be an accredited Community Umpire.
Junior Umpires will be allocated to games on a weekly basis. This is a change from the standard where a Junior Umpire may umpire a sibling’s game or the same team each week.
Cadet Program
The Cadet Umpire will not get paid for the games they umpire as VPXHC wish to foster a development and not a turn up and get paid attitude. We believe that this will encourage the Cadets to learn and develop their skills which when signed off will then allow them to umpire in a paid position in the 5/6 age groups. The team umpire fee will be allocated to the Umpire Mentor
Cadets whose schools run a Service Learning Program, the hours spent undertaking the umpiring can be signed off by the Umpire Coordinator for inclusion as the service hours.
The Umpire Cadet will wear a different T-Shirt from a qualified Hockey Australia HockeyEd Community Umpire. The shirt will be a different green with the words “Trainee Umpire” on the back to ensure that participants and parents alike know that a new umpire is learning the ropes.
Once a Cadet Umpire has graduated from the program, they will be presented with their Community Umpire Certificate and a Hockey Umpire shirt. This in turn then allows the newly graduated umpire to Umpire the 5/6 grade and retain the umpire fee for themselves.
Umpire Training Nights
Mentors, Cadets and other Junior Umpires are to attend the Umpire training nights.
Cadets are to bring their Umpire Cadet Program work book for review by the Umpire Coordinator(s)
Training will occur (or be adapted) depending on the feedback listed in the Umpire Cadet Program work book and the Umpire Performance Evaluation forms for the Junior Umpires.
Training will consist of:
- umpiring rules and interpretations
- signals
- positioning
- game play
Training will either incorporate the Cadets and Junior Umpires together, depending on the topic, or be split to undertake specialised training.
Junior Umpires
Junior Umpires who have umpired in previous years are to be an accredited Community Umpire and will be encouraged to undertake the Hockey Australia HockeyEd Level 1 Umpire Program run by HockeyWA.
Junior Umpires will be allocated to games on a weekly basis. This is a change from the standard where a Junior Umpire may umpire a sibling’s game.
Junior umpires will be reviewed by Umpire Mentors who will be conducting an Umpire Performance Evaluation. The Mentor will go through the form with the Junior Umpire and provide feedback. The form is to be signed by both the umpire and Mentor and returned to the Umpire Coordinator(s) for evaluation.
Should a Junior Umpire not be performing at the level required for the grade according the feedback listed by multiple Mentors on the Umpire Performance Evaluation form, the Junior umpire may be reallocated by the Umpire Coordinator(s) to a lower grade to consolidate their learnings in a less demanding grade.
Should a Junior Umpire be performing at a level higher than what is required for the grade according the feedback listed by multiple Mentors on the Umpire Performance Evaluation form the Junior umpire may be elevated by the Umpire Coordinator(s) to Umpire a higher grade.
Umpire Mentors
The Cadets will be allocated a Mentor for their game who will oversee and run with them while they are learning the ropes. The Mentor will provide feedback to the Cadets at the end of a game and provide a development sheet which the cadets can then utilise to refine their skills for development.
Mentors will also be required to assist in the Umpire training nights and to review Junior Umpires where required.
The Umpire Mentors will be paid for their services through the umpire fees collected on game day from the Cadet Umpires they are mentoring on game days.
