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Surbiton Spotlight: Helen Waugh on Umpiring

28th October 2024

By Ollie Fitch

Ollie Fitch interviews Umpire Coordinator Helen Waugh about her experiences as an umpire and why she hopes others at the club will pick up a whistle...

Firstly, what got you into umpiring?
I was introduced to umpiring at university, and reluctantly covered a couple of games to help out. When I joined Surbiton I was asked to give it another go, I had some spare time and wanted to give back to the club so volunteered for lower level women’s games. Organising all the umpiring appointments came pretty soon after and despite having significantly less time than I used to, I’m into my third season of volunteering! 

What is your favourite part of umpiring?
I enjoy ensuring matches are fair and fun, it’s great to see everyone enjoying their hockey. I also enjoy seeing the game from a different perspective. It’s made me a much more patient and understanding player, I’d love to encourage others to do the same, I think a lot of people feel intimidated or nervous to umpire, and encouraging teams to be supportive would definitely help umpire engagement! 

How rewarding can umpiring be to not only yourself but also to the club?
Volunteering at Surbiton has been rewarding on many levels, this season it’s enabled me to remain part of the club whilst I’m not playing, plus I still get to have match teas! If more people were able to help out a little it would mean those who help out a lot get a little rest.

Who is your favourite umpire to be paired with?
I’ve been super lucky to have some great mentors at Surbiton, I always enjoy umpiring with Simon Aldous and Andy Parker as they have been key in developing me as an umpire! When organising umpire partnerships I always try to match umpires that will naturally work well together, and support and develop each other. 

How easy is it to combine umpiring on a Saturday, as well as playing in your own game?
Pre baby it was easy to mix both, there’s lots of opportunities to umpire and the appointments are always made with my availability taken into consideration! Post baby it is slightly trickier, but the club has some amazing members who will babysit whilst I umpire (thanks Tracey!) - I’m always willing to umpire in return for babysitting, it seems I find umpiring 22 60+ men easier than a toddler! 

We have been fortunate to have radios to umpire with. What difference does this make in the game?
Radios are really helpful to enable effective communication between the umpires, ensuring games are well managed and flow well. As a development tool they enable feedback and advice during game play so you can make improvements during a game rather than waiting for a post match debrief. 

What is the most satisfying thing you can receive as an umpire?
It’s great to receive positive feedback from teams, even when making decisions not everyone agrees with. It’s also even better getting positive feedback from playing umpires, we’re one team and we should always support each other even in the heat of the moment. In the long term it will encourage more players to become umpires and provide a supportive environment to grow and develop our umpiring team.

Is there anything you would want to say to an inexperienced umpire?
Be loud, clear and confident and have a few short key phases to enable you to communicate effectively during the game! Don’t feel afraid to just give it a go, you’re doing something great for the club and your team mates. 

Who should someone contact if they want to get into umpiring for the first time?
Getting into umpiring is really easy, there’s some great resources on the club website, London hockey officiating, England Hockey’s Hub website and You Tube. Spend some time watching a game and focusing on the umpires, once you’re ready to give it a go get in touch with the team on umpires@surbitonhc.com and we will add you to our umpire WhatsApp group and you can volunteer for games appropriate for your skill level and to fit in with your Saturday plans! 

CONTACT THE TEAM TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT UMPIRING AT SHC

Helen Waugh with another SHC umpiring stalwart, Simon Aldous