Umpires Will Hamilton, Jeff Dolbey, Mick Goodyer, and Mick Clayton are calling for more people to join their organisation. Picture: GEOFF ROBSON
Calling former footballers and athletes - the Northern Tasmanian Football Umpires Association wants you.
The NTFUA is conducting a recruitment drive to add new umpires to its panel for the coming football season.
The association supplies umpires for competitions ranging from the NTJFA, NTFA division 1 and 2 and Tasmanian State League.
``We have a range of umpires from the age of 14 to 60 and we want to target basically athletes who want to stay fit over the winter or former footballers to join our ranks,'' NTFUA umpires director Mick Goodyer said.
``Ex-footballers make good umpires because they have a feel for the game.''
Goodyer said the NTFUA coaching panel this season boasted 100 years' experience between goal umpire coach Michael Clayton, field umpire coach Jeff Dolbey and boundary coach Chris Robson.
``We have about 100 umpires all up on our panel and out of those about half would be aged 18 and under,'' Goodyer said.
``But there is no age restriction, because we do boundary, field and goal umpiring we can cater for all ages.''
He said football umpiring was a good way to keep fit and earn good money, which was tax-free.
NTFUA umpires have a pathway available to progress through to VFL and AFL ranks if their skills are to the appropriate level.
Umpires train on Monday and Thursday nights at Aurora Stadium, from 5.30pm.
The first training session will be on Monday, February 4. Anyone interested in joining the NTFUA can call Mick Goodyer on 0418 122 041.