U4E returns to Breda for the third time this weekend . U4E Coordinator and Education Committee member Paul Box-Grainger sent us a report on their activities during the first day!
27 Umpires from 18 different European Nations are practising their skills and learning their craft in Breda, Netherlands, this weekend.
After a meeting with the C4E European Coaches Group about rules’ interpretations on Friday afternoon, they discussed their individual development plans with their mentors – either Tom Goode (IRL), Tamas Hermann (HUN), John Heron (SCO), or JF Stappaerts (BEL).
At the Welcome Meeting & Briefing, they received a personal message from Marcin Grochal (POL), filmed in London before the start of the EuroHockey Championships, along with some advice from his own umpiring journey.
Then, many of the umpires and Umpire Managers from London offered their top tips for umpiring, and for really making the most of the Breda weekend, reinforcing the fact that there really is an EHF Hockey Family!
And finally, they saw themselves depicted as superheroes, but that’s another story….
Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny and the umpiring team got to work at the Push Hockey Tournament in Breda. With some of the best junior players in Holland and Belgium on the pitch, and the hot sun blazing down, it’s a real challenge – but they’re clearly loving it!
The mentors have also been hard at work, helping to refine their umpiring skills, and also giving commentary on individual films of their umpiring, which get sent to all the umpires for review after the tournament.
With most umpires having three games in the day, they will be tired tonight after the barbeque – but tired and happy!
Source and Photographs: Paul Box-Grainger