Thirty-two juniors from across the state braved the chilly Melbourne weather last Wednesday night when they attended Cricket Victoria’s first Junior Umpire Program held at Deepdene Park in Balwyn.
Thirty-two juniors from across the state braved the chilly Melbourne weather last Wednesday night when they attended Cricket Victoria’s first Junior Umpire Program held at Deepdene Park in Balwyn.
The program was facilitated by one of Cricket Victoria’s rising stars, Premier Cricket Panel Umpire Clare Haysom, with assistance from fellow Premier Cricket Panel Umpire Jack Lourie and State Umpire Coach Damian Herft.
Across the two-hour interactive session participants focused on the laws of the game, on-field routines and a completed a practical session focusing on positioning around the stumps for run outs and no balls.
The Junior Umpire Program is part of Cricket Victoria’s newly implemented umpire strategy which aims to increase the number of match officials in Victoria.
The sessions are designed to introduce and train young people (aged 12-18) with the skills and knowledge necessary to become a cricket umpire, help them develop an interest in and understanding of the game, and provide them with an opportunity to learn and practice the skills necessary to become a successful umpire.
Additionally, the Junior Umpire Program provides young people with valuable life skills, such as teamwork, leadership, discipline, and decision-making, all of which are beneficial for their personal development.
State Umpire Manager Ben Brennan couldn’t be more pleased with how the night went.
“It was great to see so many young people, boys and girls, with an interest in becoming a cricket umpire,” said Brennan.
“We were blown away with the number of registrations we received – it shows that there is a definitely an appetite out there for us to grow the game in this space.
“We will use the momentum from last Wednesday night’s session to implement the program across the state.”
Keep an eye out on the Cricket Victoria website for the next Junior Umpire Program as we look to host the program across metro Melbourne and country Victoria.
