FOUR young female umpires are a big part of moving football in the Wimmera further forward.
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Ella Walsgott, Paige Lane, Bailey Cox and Kassidy Cox run out week in and week out to patrol the boundary lines of Wimmera and Horsham District football games.
AFL Wimmera-Mallee umpires manager Howard Schier said it was great to have young girls involved in umpiring.
“We always encourage the girls to get involved,” he said.
“You never know what they might progress into.
“They start off as boundary umpires but down the track they become more experienced and might like to get into the infield.
Thirteen-year-old Ella has been umpiring for two seasons followed her older brother Jackson in to umpiring.
For her it is also another way to train as a budding triathlete.
“I just like doing the running around,” she said.
During a round one Horsham District under-17s game she ran more than eight kilometres.
Mother Katie said doing boundary umpiring allows Ella to change up her training so she is not just going for runs.
“She had to some interval training on the weekend that she needed to do but instead she did it by running the boundary line,” she said.
“Obviously to run 8.5 kilometres in a match you need reasonable fitness.”
Fourteen-year-old Paige is in her second season of umpiring after she started last year.
“My dad and brother umpire so that’s how I get involved in it,” she said.
“I enjoy everything about it.”
One day she hopes to progress through the ranks in order to run around as a field umpire.
Before then they need to pass through the different levels of theoretical as well as gain further experience in the game
Each Wednesday when the umpires train the girls continue to hone their skills as boundary umpires.
As well as a lot of fitness work it is there that they work on improving their boundary throw-ins.
“There will be somebody that takes the boundaries aside when they practise,” Schier said.
“Ella and Paige are a bit small so they will come in a little from boundary and then hurl it in.”
This week Ella and Paige will again be on duty patrolling the boundary of the under-17 game between Stawell and Ararat on Good Friday as the Wimmera Football League season starts.
