First Year Info

HOW LONG BEFORE AND AFTER DO I NEED TO BE AT THE GROUND?

You should aim to be at the ground no later than half an hour before your game starts and twenty minutes to half an hour after your game ends. 

Getting there half an hour early allows you to:

1) Do all the pre-game checks with the managers
2) Get changed into your uniform
3) Chat with your mentor about the game coming up
4) Review any rules you may need refreshing on
5) Not be rushed in the lead up to the game. 

After the game, you will need some time to:

1) Chat with your mentor and receive feedback/do some self-reflection
2) Get changed back into your off-field uniform
3) Change rooms might be full before another game after yours - so you might have to wait for other people to leave before you can get changed
4) Do your match day paperwork alongside your mentor
5) Sit down, have a drink, and process the game that just happened. 

WHAT DO I DO IF I'M RUNNING LATE TO MY GAME?

CALL YOUR MENTOR. 

Their contact information should be available on Officials HQ so make sure that you give them a call. 

If they don't answer, leave a voice mail then text them then call Cassidy. 

WHAT DO I DO IF MY MENTOR HASN'T SHOWN UP?

Mentors are expected to arrive at the same time as you (half an hour before the game starts). 

If you mentor isn't there at the 20 minute mark, CALL YOUR MENTOR (see above). 

If your mentor hasn't replied to you/contacted you/arrived at the 15 minute mark, CALL CASSIDY
(if she doesn't answer -> LEAVE A VOICEMAIL SO SHE KNOWS WHAT IS HAPPENING!) 

After contacting your mentor/Cassidy, if you still do not have a mentor you may have to dive straight in and umpire alone. Your best course of action would be get dressed and ready to go as soon as possible. 

Go around and meet the managers/coaches by yourself. INFROM THEM THAT YOU ARE A NEW UMPIRE AND THAT YOUR MENTOR HAS NOT SHOWN UP. Explain to both managers the plan that was put into place over the phone (i.e. a new mentor will arrive at 1/4 time or Cassidy is heading out but you don't exactly know when she will get there). 

These situations do not happen often, in my 8 years of umpiring I've known of it happening twice. BUT if it does happen, it's an opportunity to step up into the responsibility of a fully fledged umpire and take on a job most open rules umpires wouldn't be brave enough to do. 

I'M WEARING THE WRONG PANTS BECAUSE MUM/DAD/WHOEVER DIDN'T WASH THEM OR DAD GOT LOST ON THE WAY THAT'S WHY I'M LATE.  

IT'S SOMEONE ELSES FAULT.

No it's not. 

We expect every umpire to take responsibility for their own management. 

We understand that you might not be able to drive yet, but that doesn't mean you can't put your uniform in the wash when you get home from your game, have your bag ready the night before, have yourself and ready to go by the time you need to leave, look up the ground you will be umpiring at and work out exactly what time you need to leave and politely inform your parent/guardian(s) of this the night before.

At Swans we try and build resilience and independence in our umpires, and this is one of the ways that we encourage this growth.