Recently, the WRFL saw one of its long-serving goal umpires reach a very special milestone last Friday afternoon. While it was a day for the nation to remember its Anzacs past and present, for Paul Battaglia, it was also the day he adjudicated his 300th Division One Senior game between Sunshine and Werribee Districts.
Easily recognised by his small stature and gentle nature, Paul is one of a mere few goal umpires to attest to such an achievement. Sharing his milestone match were fellow umpires Greg Denison, Adrian O’Donnell, Willie Watson (field), Shannessy Adams, Bianca Michetti and Lewis Spiker (boundary) and Brendan Moloney (goal).
On the eve of his milestone game, Paul said that he was proud of his achievements as a goal umpire.
“I am extremely proud and feel privileged that at my age, I am still reasonably fit and healthy to continue umpiring,” he said.
A modest man, Paul didn’t mention that while he had achieved his 300th division one senior match, he had also reached a number of other achievements throughout his career including umpiring no less than eight Division One Senior Grand Finals including the 2013 blockbuster between Deer Park and Spotswood.
Although associated with the league for nearly forty years, it is only since 1995 that Paul decided to venture into goal umpiring.
For many years, Paul was a well-known face at the Kingsville Football Club which has now evolved into the Yarraville Seddon Eagles. There he performed many tasks that were needed to help out at the club, even playing a handful of games when the reserves team were short of players. Before donning the whites 19 years ago, Paul vividly remembers that he didn’t have much time for the umpires especially John Booker and John Shadlow. Yet at his first night of umpires’ training, Paul recalls his opinion fast changing after John Booker went out of his way to welcome him into the umpiring fraternity.
Now at the WRFL Umpires’ Association, Paul is seen doing many of the behind the scenes duties. When he is not out on the training track, he can be seen serving in the kitchen/bar area and can be regularly spotted stocking up the fridge as well as keeping the social and change rooms neat-just another time-consuming task he has willingly taken onboard.
It should also be pointed out that Paul is always ready and willing to help and encourage others. Whether at training or on a match day, he will offer assistance or advice to his fellow umpires, mentoring a number of young goal umpires from the Werribee Academy (MacKillop College) over the past five years.
On the same weekend that Paul was notching up his impressive game tally, one of the new young goal umpires from MacKillop was walking out to do his first game. Working with a mentor for three previous games this season, 14-year-old Tim Bertino teamed up with the goalies’ coach, Graeme Hodgart, to officiate the Altona v Yarraville Seddon Eagles under 18s game. Despite not being the best footballer, Tim decided to continue to be involved in the game he loved and sign up as a trainee goalie this year. A regular attendee at the MacKillop training sessions, Tim is keen to ask many questions and is learning quickly. While he realises that he still has a lot more to learn before he gets a chance to umpire senior football, Tim is inspired by Paul who is a great example of what hard work can achieve. No doubt, if Tim continues to work hard and has the passion for learning, he may one day be notching up his 300th milestone game in the future.
By Graeme Hodgart
Last Modified on 30/04/2014 11:47