Whistle blowing gains appeal with women

By Justin Robertson
THE future is bright for women who crave to be umpires.
In the past few weeks, the AFL has declared its intentions to induct its first female umpire at the highest level. With more than 700 female umpires already in leagues throughout Australia’s football communities, these figures will continue to soar through development programs.
Berwick’s Emily Cornelius and Hampton Park’s Emily Estcourt were both selected earlier this year for AFL Victoria’s 33-member umpiring academy for women.
It’s the first time Cornelius has been selected.
“It’s been really good so far this year and the opportunities you get through the academy is probably the best thing,” the 17-year-old said. “People know I’m out there now and it’s good to know all the umpires in the different leagues.”
With the rate of women umpiring on the rise – this year there was a 16 per cent spike in female umpires within the Dandenong District Junior Football League(DDJFL) – Cornelius believes more women should take the plunge if their heart is in it.
“Absolutely. It’s really not that threatening or scary or hard as a lot of girls think,” Cornelius said. For me, it’s a career now, I love it that much and I want to keep doing it for as long as I can and go as high as I can.”
Throughout the 10-month long academy, both girls train once a month under the guidance of elite umpires as well as applying to umpire promotional games which take place at the MCG or at one of the interstate grounds. But, only the best get picked.
Estcourt,18, who has umpired close to 200 games, has been selected for the academy three times, and said the academy combined with her umpiring experience in the Eastern Football league and DDJFL has helped her hone her craft.
“The whole experience is amazing and the EFL is great because it helps you get to the next level,” she said. “To find out that they accept me back every year gives you that vote of confidence that you are doing something right.”
In 2005, Estcourt was watching her brother play football and noticed for the first time, a woman umpiring the game.
“I’d only ever seen guys umpire a football game, so to see a woman, was different but it got me thinking, ‘well maybe I could it?’” she said, and has been umpiring for the past six years. “It started out as a hobby, but if I could make a career out of it, that would be the ultimate.”