Seventeen of Melbourne’s most promising young field umpires will learn from some of the AFL’s best adjudicators in the 2016 Mates Program.
Created in conjunction with AFL Victoria and AFL Umpires, the Mates Program pairs talented field umpires from the seven senior metropolitan umpiring groups including the Eastern FL, Essendon DFL, Northern FL, Riddell FL, Southern FNL, VAFA and Western Region FL with AFL listed umpires.
Now in its eleventh year, the Mates Program aims to promote the development of talented young umpires and provides them with a first-hand look at what it takes to officiate at the elite level.
Officially kicking off the 2016 Mates Program at a Launch on Tuesday night, AFL umpire coach Hayden Kennedy said that the program was a great opportunity for not only the community umpires, but the AFL umpires as well.
“I had the opportunity to be involved in this mentor program a few years ago and it’s a great experience to be a part of,” he said.
“It’s a unique opportunity for our AFL umpires to give back to the community and become a mentor to others, so I’d encourage all young umpires involved in the program to speak to their mates and utilise the wealth of knowledge available to hopefully inspire them to take their umpiring to the next level.”
- SEE some of the action from the 2016 Mates Program Launch in our online gallery HERE…
Over the duration of the season, the young officials, who range between the ages of 16 and 25, will speak regularly with their AFL mentor and develop their umpiring game plan.
In addition, the AFL umpires will meet with their ‘mates’ four or five times for the year and speak to them regularly about all facets of umpiring and the challenges that come with it.
Returning to the Program as a mentor for his eighth year is AFL Umpire Shane McInerney, along with fellow field umpires Troy Pannell, Chris Kamolins, Ben Ryan, Sam Hay, Robert O’Gorman and Leigh Fisher.
Please see below for a list of this year’s Mates Program participants:
AFL Umpire
|
Region
|
Mate
|
Chris Kamolins
|
Eastern Football League
|
Luke Hunter
Sam Tippet
Michael Browne
|
Ben Ryan
|
Essendon District Football League
|
Harrison Birch
Jack Gordon
|
Shane McInerney
|
Northern Football League
|
Elias Kafritsas
Joel Clamp
|
Sam Hay
|
Riddle District Football League
|
Kelly Humphries
Luke Humphries
|
Robert O’Gorman
|
Southern Football Netball League
|
Paige Hinrichs
Riley Webster
Joel Lewis
|
Leigh Fisher
|
Victorian Amateur Football Association
|
Joshua Bell
Logan Webster
|
Troy Pannell
|
Western Region Football League
|
Nicholas van Schoten
Michael Gurrie
Murray Osborne
|
Last Modified on 07/04/2016 22:46