Building the Future of Officiating

in Merseyside

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We want to work together to build a thriving community of umpires of all ages, ensuring a strong and sustainable pipeline of officiating talent across Merseyside. Umpires play a vital role in our sport, and by supporting new officials from an early age, we can create opportunities for personal development while helping netball continue to grow.

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You can begin your umpiring journey from the age of 13. If you're interested in becoming an umpire, the first step is to explore the England Netball officiating courses. Before enrolling, speak to your Head Coach about your ambition to become an umpire. Their support is invaluable, as you'll need opportunities to practise your skills within your club. Your officiating journey should be a collaborative one, with support from your parents or carers, your club, experienced umpires, Merseyside County Netball and England Netball.

 

Once you have discussed your plans with your club, you can enrol on the Into Officiating course. You can find details of the available courses here 

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After completing the online course, begin putting your learning into practice by umpiring at your club and within your local league. If you wish to umpire in the Merseyside Junior Netball League (MJNL), you will first need to gain league approval*. You can apply to MJNL by completing this form. Once approved, you will be advised which age groups you are able to umpire, allowing you to gain valuable experience with the ongoing support of your club.

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Practice is the key to becoming a confident and capable umpire. As you gain experience, record your officiating hours in your logbook. Once you have completed the required practice hours, you can apply for your Into Officiating Assessment. ​To do this, email the Merseyside County Umpire Secretary, Leah Furlong, who will send you an application form. Once completed, return the application form together with your completed logbook (you will be able to download this after your online course) and the assessment fee. Your practical assessment will then be arranged.

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We look forward to supporting you throughout your officiating journey and welcoming you into the Merseyside umpiring community.

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*Please note: The Merseyside Junior Netball League (MJNL) operates independently of Merseyside County Netball. Any queries relating to the league, including fixtures, league approval, rules or administration, should be directed to the MJNL committee and not to Merseyside County Netball