By Brendan Rees
When Debra Keogh chanced upon an opportunity to umpire at her local softball club never did she imagine it would one day lead to an international role.
After taking up the sport in 1986 at the age of 18, Ms Keogh began umpiring six years later as “there was no one else” willing to put their hand up.
But she admits she “actually enjoyed it and kept going” – and soon found herself jet setting around the world umpiring at various competitions including Japan, Thailand and New Zealand as well as state championships back home.
The Narre Warren South woman, who is also a police officer, received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to softball.
“It was unexpected … over the moon,” Ms Keogh said. “I feel honoured and pleased to have been awarded the OAM.”
Her long list of achievements is long and impressive.
It ranges from being a past president and treasurer and now life member of the Berwick Casey Softball Association; gold medallist at the World Police and Fire Games in 1995, and a service award with the Berwick Braves Softball Club in 2003 just to name a few.
But her biggest career moment came when she was invited to the Sydney Olympic Games where she worked behind the scenes in an administrative role.
She was also in the running for an umpiring position at the Beijing 2008 Olympics but missed out by a “slight margin” – but refused to give up hope of fulfilling her dream.
By day, Ms Keogh is a Sergeant with Victoria Police and is based at Endeavour Hills police station – in a career that spans 33 years including 16 years as a detective at Dandenong.
However, over the past two years she has taken time off work after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
And although she admitted “it’s taken its toll on me”, her involvement with the Berwick Braves Softball Club is the perfect outlet, and looks forward to running clinics when the season kicks-off in October.
“We’ve got some young kids who are umpiring – probably just in those low teens,” she said, adding there were also two members in their 60s.
Ms Keogh said she had to step away from her international role as an umpire for a period of time while she cared for her ill mother – but is excited to get back into interstate umpiring.
Asked what she loves most about the sport, she said “the friendships” and “the camaraderies among the umpires”.
