Nelson Netball has seen a fantastic increase in our Youth Umpire Programme, with numbers doubling this season. Some of these young umpires have progressed from our FutureFERNS 6-a-side games, while others have picked up the whistle after watching their friends umpire or through encouragement from their schools.

Supporting these young officials is key to keeping them engaged in the programme. We do this through mentoring from our pathway umpires, providing notebooks to record feedback and track their progress, holding quick rule revision sessions at 3pm on Saturdays, allocating games appropriate to their experience (particularly following any sideline comments), and recognising that many have other Saturday commitments.

We'll celebrate the end of the season with a Youth Umpire Prizegiving alongside the Premier semi-final. The young umpires will have reserved seating, deliver the match ball before the game, and sit with experienced umpires to discuss the match - an opportunity that was a real highlight for many last season.

A huge thank you to Design Windows for their generous support of our Youth Umpire Programme. Their sponsorship of the programme, including providing t-shirts for our young umpires, helps create a sense of pride and belonging while supporting the development of the next generation of officials.

Article added: Friday 03 July 2026