From Left: Madeline Mitchell, Caitlin Holman (Coach), and Lillah Hoffman get cracking with the 2019 NCAS Netball Umpires Program
Sunday 3 March 2019 marked the first session and induction day for aspiring North Coast netball umpires Madeline Mitchell and Lillah Hoffman headed by Umpire Coach Caitlin Holman.
Madeline, of Lismore Netball Association, and Lillah, of Nambucca Valley Netball Association, have hit the ground running with a program focused on developing their on-court umpiring skills as well as their physical preparation.
The inaugural program led by Caitlin Holman, of Nambucca Valley Netball Association, and run with the support and endorsement of Netball NSW includes training days, home fitness and strength and conditioning programs, ancillary education modules as part of the Your Local Club NCAS Education Program, and umpiring at the Your Local Club Academy Games 2019 at Maitland and NNSW & Regional Academies of Sport Academy Netball Challenge at Orange.
The Your Local Club Academy Games and Academy Challenge tournaments include umpire mentoring and training sessions run by Netball NSW as well as opportunities to be badged.
“We need to think of umpires as athletes with whistles” said Caitlin Holman when commenting on the holistic program.
“This is a great program for ambitious local umpires that will also help support the whole sport in the North Coast. Madeline and Lillah will be able to bring all they have learned back to their clubs and associations as well as work towards umpiring high level games throughout NSW” said D’Arcy Van den Bossche, NCAS Sport Programs Manager.
“We’re excited to see the girls in action at the Your Local Club Academy Games netball tournament hosted by Hunter Academy of Sport!”
The Your Local Club Academy Games 2019 will again be hosted by Hunter Academy of Sport at Maitland Basketball Stadium 12 – 14 April 2019. The Regional Academies of Sport & Netball NSW Academy Netball Challenge will again be hosted by Western Region Academy of Sport at Orange PCYC 28 – 30 September 2019.