Why did you choose to become an umpire?

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[dannythegoalie]

Hi Umpires, Dannythegoaly speaking, i was just wondering why you wanted to become an umpire or were you forced to by your team? I could never imagine myself as an umpire (although that may be cos i don't know most of the rules )

[mspice61]

i have no idea to be honest... aside from a bout of pure madness, guess i thought it would be something cool to be able to do. that and my mothers club were willing to pay for it 

[Su*x]

i amwanting to qualify this yr...i was gettin sick of not understanding when a call had gone against me...after a lot of reading and discussing calls with umpires after the games, i def have a better understanding, and as a keeper you find you have a much better perspective than any other player on the pitch..akways helpful!

[redumpire]

Got injured (blood clot on my optic nerve following a training accident).  Stared umpiring.  Tried to play again after my injury - realised (a) I wasn't tackling properly as I was 'protecting' my injured eye by turning away from tackles and (b) I actually enjoyed umpiring more than playing anyway.  The rest, as they say, is history...

[deegum]

Choose?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some people choose?
Used to babysit while watching my wife play.
Stood too close to white line.
Got whistle thrust in hand
"You blow in this end"
" but I can't understand this obstruction rule!"
_ subsequently I learned that none of the umpires I watched did either.
Next season, I got a rule book.
And the rest, as they say is history.
In my case, ancient history.

[scottmcn]

The same week I played my first game, I also umpired my first game....so it just became the norm for me to umpire. I actually find I enjoy umpiring far more than playing anyway (probably because im a far better umpire than I am a player!)

[Diligent]

For a few years I occasionally had a whistle thrust into my hand.
Then as a team captain, if I umpired a 2nds or 4ths game, one of them would umpire for us.
Later the ladies' leagues required a Level 1 to umpire, so I got that.
Almost a decade later I discovered how badly I needed coaching, so I joined the HUA to get it.
Some 6 months later I chose to become an umpire - give up playing, that is - because it was obvious I could go much further as an umpire than I ever could as a player.

It's a good question Danny - we'll get lots of interesting stories and all different.

[ausdrexler]

I became an umpire through necessity. In my local U15 competition, each team was given a U11 or U13 assignment each weekend to do. Noone else wanted to do it, so I thought I would give it a go. Been whistle blowing ever since. I didnt do a real lot, only a few games a season during my 18 to 30 yrs thing, but the last couple of seasons I have moved to a weekly umpiring comitment. I enjoy umpiring. Plus i have a couple of thoughts: 1. Nothing worse then having a player question your decision when they have neevr umpired themselves so if i wanna question a decision i make sure i have a little bit of credibility by umpiring myself, 2. without umpires we dont have games of hockey. I hate when umpires dont show to do their allotments, really ticks me off. I have done 3 games ina  row at times, because an umpire has not shown up so to make sure ppl get their games, i Umpire.

[g9]

I got into it as one of my earliest hockey role models from way back (a "fair but firm" umpire...never a doubt she was the word!)  was retiring from the game and I felt a need to give something back to  the younger ones just as she had.  Sounds a bit silly perhaps, but she meant a lot to how I perceived the game and the sportsmanship of it all, so thought I would see what I could contribute. 

If I were to stop coaching, I would do definitely do more umpiring but I can't decide which is more interesting...very different and rewarding in their own ways!  So I train umpires now for our rec system and work games in around my coaching schedule.  But truth be told, playing is still my first love!

[keely]

I started umpiring as a teenager when my club team needed people. In the captain's words, "You're not scared of anything. Here - have a whistle."

Over the years playing high performance hockey (varsity and provincial representation) I got to know the umpires fairly well. Back in 1999, one of these umpires pulled me aside and said, "Keely - if you choose to umpire you could go far." I asked, "How far?" He replied, "As far as you want." I protested that he'd never seen me umpire. He said, "it doesn't matter - you're the only player who knows what we're going to call before we do - even when we're going to get it wrong. Plus, you're not scared of anyone." (Fear seems to be a recurring theme here.)

With the prospect of international hockey being dangled before me, I quit competitive hockey the following year (I still play for my club as much as travel and my knees allow) and haven't looked back.

[justin]

I started umpiring, at age 18, my school girls' team, because the very tasty Games Mistress asked me to 

I thought it funny that she let me umpire the 1st XI while she took the 2nd XI games.....and I realise now how bad I probably was !
I did know the rules but had no coaching at all that I can recall.

Then only sporadically until I gave-up playing regularly...I always preferred playing.

[NicfromSweden]

I dont umpire regulary but i have a dream to umpire some day because i hope to make it to the absolute toplevel of hockey just as Björn Isberg, Henrik Ehlers, Javed Kahn and Hans Peter Hansen it shows that even if your from scandinavia your able to make to to the absolute toplevel of hockey

and if i wouldnt be umpiring i would love to be an official it would be totaly awsome to get to travel around the world to all worldclass events like they get to do

[Alexei]

I had high ambition as a player to reach the very top. By the time I finished my final season in the National Junior League, realised it will never be achieved - as a player. 

My school teacher advised to try umpiring.... Began to watch hockey games from an umpiring point of view.... tried some unofficial umpiring... And finally when at Uni, the coach registered every one of us for Rules exam.

I passed and I never looked back 

Some ups and downs..... but I have no regrets

[Twister]

I'm not sure how or why I started umpiring... I remember I wasn't very good - must have been early years at University when I did the odd game.  Then whilst I was playing I'd umpire a couple of games before or after I'd played and a lot of people thought I was alright (although I did some things I'd wince at now - e.g. repeatedly giving up 10s for dissent which resulted in the ball going from the 25 at one end to a PC and a goal at the other - actually, I might try that again now !)

I umpired some neutral University games for a while and then had to decide whether to play or umpire properly.  I stopped playing a few years ago when I was 29, knowing that I'd reached my playing limits.  Have been umpiring seriously for 3 years and never looked back - I've already umpired at a level which I could never have played at.  You get some fantastic experiences, meet some great people, and get to challenge yourself more than you ever realise!

Frustrated at the moment as I've been injured since January, but have started doing some 6 a side games, and I'm hoping to get back to the proper stuff for September (as long as my physio lets me!).

[Alexei]

I dont umpire regulary but i have a dream to umpire some day because i hope to make it to the absolute toplevel of hockey just as Björn Isberg, Henrik Ehlers, Javed Kahn and Hans Peter Hansen it shows that even if your from scandinavia your able to make to to the absolute toplevel of hockey

Can you do both concurrently? Apart from keeping goal for Sweden or Club, you umpire other division or pool matches. You are still young. Why not start to live your dream now? 

I know some umpires from small hockey countries had to work extra hard to get recognised by the FIH. (e.g umpiring in Foreign League for higher level practice) It's difficult to get noticed if you umpire only in Nations B and C division.