Umpiring tests and awards
If you wish to be considered for a qualification should contact the Umpiring Secretary. It is recommended that you undergo mentoring from one of the Gloucestershire's umpire mentors before taking your test. Your mentor will tell you what you should aspects of the game to concentrate on and when they feel you are ready for your test.
It is also recommended that you attend an umpiring course applicable to your award. Courses are organised throughout the season where it is felt necessary.
Anyone undertaking a test must hold a current England Netball affiliation. The qualification only remains valid when a current affiliation is held. In addition, the Beginner Award is only valid for four years, at which point you must re-take the award. After another four years you must have progressed onto C Award.
The following tests are administered by Gloucestershire Netball:
- England Netball Youth Umpiring Award
- England Netball Beginner Umpiring Award
- Netball Europe 'C' Umpiring Award
The following tests are administered at a higher level:
- Netball Europe 'B' Umpiring Award (administered by Netball South West)
- Netball Europe 'A' Umpiring Award (administered by England Netball)
- IFNA International Umpire Award
Previous awards
Those holding the old AENA Preliminary Award are no longer eligible to umpire in the Gloucestershire leagues. They should contact the Umpiring Secretary soon as possible, who will issue them with a Beginner Award valid for two years.
Reassessment of C award umpires
Gloucestershire Netball is committed to providing support to all C award umpires who passed their test more than 4 years ago. This is purely to ensure that all umpires in Gloucestershire are up to date with interpretation of old and new rules, as well as sharpening up on skills.
Starting this season (2011/12), we aim to reassess all C awards who passed their test prior to 2005. Assessments will take place at a central venue league match. Your assessor will watch you over a full game and give you feedback on your umpiring. If your assessor feels you meet the C award criteria, you will be issued with a card to say that you have been reassessed and meet the criteria.
If your assessor feels you need to improve upon some of your umpiring skills, this feedback will be given to you both verbally and in writing so that you can go away and work on those areas. Your assessor will then arrange to take another look at you in a month or so, by which time you will have hopefully taken on board the feedback and show improvements. If, however, after this support your umpiring does not meet the criteria of a C award, your assessor will recommend that you continue to umpire, but at lower level matches, i.e. Divisions 3, 4 and 5.
This mentoring support will be fully funded by Gloucestershire Netball, so we hope that all relevant umpires take advantage of this opportunity.
