For this week’s #FridayFocus, we are once again highlighting the work done by our Education Committee – Umpiring working group. There are 3 tiers for development, so there is a place for everyone, at all levels. For more information on the programme as a whole, visit the Umpiring section of our website, where you’ll find information on UDP, U4E, and SNG.
Umpires Development Programme – UDP
The Umpiring Development Programme (UDP) is currently accepting applications for its 10th group. The deadline will close on the 27th November, so all NAs should send in any applications by then! For more information on the UDP, click here.
Umpires 4 Europe – U4E
The Umpires 4 Europe Programme has been hard at work! Having launched the newest edition in August in Breda, they have had their first exchange weekend in Dublin and held their webinar first webinar with conductor Hamish Jamson on the 18th.
On Friday 6th November, Tom Goode’s troops from the U4E program arrived in Dublin for an exchange weekend.
Tom had arranged for all the umpires to umpire a match in the local area with an Irish colleague on the Saturday. All umpires were well briefed before matches, there was great atmosphere at the pitch. The hockey lived up to all expectations, and after a full day of umpiring, a dinner was organised with Carol Metchette, Ray O’Connor, Geoff Conn, Martin Cannife and Louise Daly.
As Sunday morning came around, Appointments Committee Chair and Umpire Manager Ray O’Connor gave a talk on his stellar umpiring career.
On the 18th November, U4E held its first webinar of the year with conductor Hamish Jamson. Hamish webinar was entitled: “A Guide to Surviving your First Tournaments with more Games than Shirts”
Umpiring in your first few tournaments can be a challenge. Compared to week-to-week league games, tournaments can be like umpiring in a “bubble”.
You may well not know even your own colleagues, let alone the players, coaches, umpire manager and TD. Some can find it a shock to the system to feel under scrutiny all the time, believing as though every tiny blip is a catastrophe, and having no friendly shoulder to cry on.
This webinar was intended to provide a few hints and tips about how to survive the bubble, to prevent it from bursting, and to make sure you return from your first tournament with excitement and confidence for the future.
SNG – Supporting National Growth
In Sveti Ivan Zelina, Supporting National Growth (SNG) Umpires, held a seminar with 15 umpires and 3 umpire coaches, conducted by Umpire Manager Rob ten Cate. The Zonal Umpires and umpire coaches seminar took place 13-15 November. EHF Vice-President Carola Meyer also attended the seminar and welcomed all the participants at the start of the weekend.
Most of the participants were young players who are active in umpiring and are eager to progress. The seminar was linked with a local senior women and men club tournament. Over 40 games were played by 20 teams, which provided plenty of opportunity to practice and discuss.
The focus of the seminar was confidence: what can you do to project confidence using the basic techniques of umpiring (signalling, whistling, positioning and body language). The umpire coaches focused on positive coaching: emphasis on what the umpire does well and work on what needs improvement in a positive atmosphere. The ‘asking questions’ method was also introduced, as an alternative to the more common method of teaching.
Source: EHF