PNA is pleased to announce the appointment of Libby Fulham to the position of PNA Umpire Development Officer (AUDO).
Libby is a well-respected member of the PNA umpiring team and has extensive experience, both as a squad member and umpire mentor. She has held a national B badge since 2016 and has mentored umpires at Metro League and the Netball WA Fever in Time program, among other duties.
Libby (pictured on the left) will be well supported in the AUDO role by our senior umpiring coaches, Narelle Foster and Tania Giles both A badged umpires with experience at WANL level as umpires and umpire coaches and Rochelle McKee, an AA badged umpire who has umpired at the highest level in Australia as well as being appointed as Officiating Coordinator for World Netball.
Libby and Narelle are also Life Members of PNA. We are very excited to have these four high calibre umpires working with us at PNA. Together with our three Umpire Program Coordinators these highly skilled and experienced umpires will form our umpire development working group to implement and enhance our new PNA Umpire Development Plan over the next few years.
The key component of this new plan is a three-tiered umpire development program designed to provide our umpires with a structured pathway through all stages of their umpiring journey at PNA. The three programs are:
- Green Shirt Program. Beginner umpires who have a desire to improve and progress through the umpire pathway. Green shirt umpires will receive theory-based and practical coaching and will be allocated by PNA to games in the Year 5 and 6 competition (divisions yet to be determined).
- Cadet Program. C badged umpires interested in improving their umpiring and working towards a B badge and/or WANL. Cadet umpires will be selected based on umpiring trials in the PiPP program. They will receive extensive coaching support and will be allocated by PNA to games in Year 7/8 Division 1 and Year 9-12 Division 8.
- Academy Program. Our most experienced and talented umpires comprised of strong C badges, B badge and A badge umpires. These umpires will receive high level coaching from senior umpire coaches and will be allocated to Open and Year 9-12 Division 1.
Each program will have a dedicated program coordinator, who will work with the AUDO to oversee and manage implementation of the program. We are very pleased to announce that Lauren Taylor will be our Cadet Program Coordinator and Sarah Curnow will be the Green Shirt Program Coordinator.