Chris Febvre • May 9, 2022
Community Umpiring Week
Community Umpiring Week
Between Round 8 and 9 of the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season we will celebrate Community Umpiring Week with the aim to encourage people to get involved in umpiring Australian Football at the community level.
Throughout the week, May 6 - May 13, the AFL will be celebrating Community Umpiring Week through a number of initiatives:
• AFL Umpires will attend community Club training sessions
• Umpires at each AFL match this weekend will be led onto the ground by community umpires
• AFL Umpires will officiate in junior community matches
• Current AFL players will officiate in junior community matches
Across the country, leagues and clubs will celebrate their local umpires with various initiatives run by the clubs. Community Umpiring Development Manager, Brenton Sanderson said with more than 1.4 million people playing Australian Football, umpire numbers have never been more important.
“There are over 15,000 umpires officiating in community football matches each week and over 12% are female, a significant increase in line with the expansion of female football”, he said.
“Community Umpiring Week is designed to increase awareness of umpiring as a choice as an additional activity to playing or choosing umpiring as a sport of choice as an alternative way to participate in the game.
“Over 94% of umpires currently play or have played junior football. You can play and umpire on the same day or on alternate days. It is a great way to keep fit, earn money, develop life skills and make life-long friends.”
For more information or to register your interest in umpiring community football visit https://umpire.afl.
This pre season Nines is coming to the OKFNL. A great opportunity for OKFNL clubs to connect with local junior footballers and introduce them to their club ahead of the 2026 season. Local OKFNL clubs can enter teams of 9-12 players, with prizes and giveaways for clubs who attract the most junior footballers, most registrations across teams and team spirit on the day! When - Sunday 16th of November Where - Wareena Park, Wangaratta Time - 10am to 4pm Cost - $350 per team (approx $35 per player) Ages - 16+ For more information on Nines you can check out all the details here - https://play.afl/play/afl-nines To enter a team or find out more please contact Daniel Saville (OKFNL Ops Manager) - okfnloperations@gmail.com
The 2025 North East Border V Line Cup teams have been selected, with Division One and Two boys teams and the girls teams preparing to compete in Ballarat. AFL North East Border would like to thank all the coaches and support staff who have been working tirelessly over the past two months preparing the squads to compete at the carnival in Ballarat on the 23rd and 24th of September. The NEB teams will compete against the Goulburn Murray teams on Tuesday the 23rd at Mars Stadium, before taking on the Greater Western Victoria teams on Wednesday 24th at City Oval. Please check out the AFLNEB Facebook and Instagram pages to follow the action!
Ben has been involved with the local Wangaratta Auskick centre for five years and the coordinator for four of those, the exciting announcement was announced at the allocation night for Auskickers graduating to the Wangaratta and District Junior Football League in front of local Auskickers, parents and local WDJFL Clubs. The prize for the award is a grand final weekend experience including three nights' accommodation in Melbourne, a ticket to the Welcome to Melbourne function, attendance at the grand final parade, and a reserve seat ticket to the 27 September grand final. Over his time, Ben has secured significant sponsorship for the program; has initiated the all-girls' group; provides a support network for smaller centres across Wangaratta and surrounding regions; contributes to community events like allocation night and puts in a heap of extra work with the allocation process; organises half-time Auskick games at local football league matches; and, of course, the countless hours spent organising jumpers, certificates, equipment and everything in between, year after year. Wangaratta is regularly one of the biggest centres in the state, if not the nation, and this year was the biggest in Victoria. That, as you can imagine, makes it almost a full-time commitment, year-round. A huge congratulations to Ben from everyone at AFLNEB!
