If you ask any umpire why they love to officiate our game the response is often the same – it’s the best seat in the house to watch a game of cricket.
If you’ve ever had an interest in umpiring or scoring cricket, now is the perfect time to become involved.
The ACT Cricket Umpires and Scorers Council (ACTCUSC) works hard to ensure that appropriate training, guidance and support is given to all new and existing team members, to deliver the best match day experiences.
The Cricket Australia Community Umpire Accreditation Program is an entry level training course where those wishing to commence their umpiring journey learn the basic skills to umpire. The training is two-pronged: an online course followed by a face-to-face workshop, to help participants with practical skills for their first match.
The Umpires and Scorers Council has two upcoming workshops on Thursday, 7 and Sunday, 17 September that members of the community are welcome to register for.
ACTCUSC Coordinator, Andrew Scotford, said there are many opportunities to umpire or score regardless of your playing pedigree, age, gender or experience.
“We’re very inclusive; we want you to participate in a way that you enjoy and are comfortable. It’s a really supportive environment,” he said.
“The course and training allow you to not only have the skills and confidence to do the job, but also meet the people that will be supporting you as you start.
“When starting umpiring in Canberra you’ll always be put with other umpires that have the skills to support you as you begin your umpiring journey, including umpire observation and feedback.
“The program is developed to assist you to be a formidable part of our umpiring program.
“You can progress at your own pace, and we can adapt and change depending on what your interests are. If you only want to participate in junior games and develop those skills that’s what we’ll focus on – if you want to participate in the senior levels, we can add that too.”
If standing in the centre isn’t quite where you want to be, cricket scorers are also in high demand.
Many scorers start out through involvement in their local club; however, there is a wealth of support offered by ACTCUSC for current and prospective scorers.
There’s an upcoming annual seminar on Sunday, 17 September, where Umpires and Scorers will come together to share information and advice.
For anyone interested in learning more about umpiring or scoring this is the perfect opportunity to receive some one-on-one assistance and advice.
Andrew said there are some great opportunities for scorers who are based in Canberra.
“We’ve had a number of local scorers who’ve officiated at Men’s and Women’s Test Matches in Canberra (with high-level cricket being played at Manuka Oval).
“If you’ve never scored before the Umpire and Scorers Council can help you, whether that’s with a club or providing you with information to pursue your scoring goals and dreams.”
For anyone interested in pursuing an umpiring or scoring journey, please note the details below about upcoming training and seminars.
Face-to-Face Umpire Workshops
- Thursday, 7 September, 6–8pm
- Sunday, 17 September, 10am–12pm
**You can register for the online component of the course via the Cricket Australia website.
ACT Council of Umpires and Scorers Annual Seminar
- Sunday, 17 September commencing at 12.00pm
Agenda items for the seminar include:
- Panel Discussion – Recruitment and Retention of Female Match Officials.
- Keynote speaker – Former international cricket umpire Simon Taufel.
- Plenary session of ACT Premier Cricket Captains including a Q&A session.
- Afternoon tea.
Please advise ACTCUSC Secretary, Gary Rees, if attending the Seminar.