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A Message to all Hockey Players Umpires are human too.
Having played in the South Wales League at all levels for a good number of years and in the English Leagues before that, it is fair to say that at times, I’ve not been totally impressed with the standard of umpiring. Probably because I thought that I couldn’t possibly be any worse I took a ‘C’ badge and became one of those alien species of Umpire. From the other side of the fence of course, I now have a totally different opinion, whereas we can all be perfect umpires when we’re stood on the sideline, when you’re holding the whistle it never seems quite as straightforward. All your perfect positioning so that you can see clearly everything that’s happening can be spoilt in a split second, by a well timed run from the centre forward, full back indeed anyone and everyone on the pitch. How can an umpire be expected to see a small white sphere through 20 players all crammed the ‘D’ The answer, of course, is that they can’t and it is up to us as players to accept that and just get on with the game. If you feel your umpire is ‘ having a nightmare’ rest assured that you won’t make it any better by continually pointing it out to them. Indeed how many umpires do you know who point out to you, as a player, when they believe you’ve made a mistake. We all know both as players and as umpires when we’ve made a mistake and personally, I don’t need it pointed out, it just increases the pressure to get it right next time. Instead a word of encouragement goes a lot further to getting me through my ‘purple patch’ . How many players out there share that view ? And how many of you have questioned an umpiring decision because you think it’s wrong. Leave the umpires to concentrate on what they’re trying to do and I’m sure all 24 participants on the pitch will enjoy the game. Some things to ask yourself as a player.
For Instance: Quoted from the preface of the Rules of Hockey 1999 "Ball hitting foot: There have been a number of criticisms that hockey has too many stoppages and is too technical to be understood and appreciated by those not familiar with the game. One of the main causes of stoppages is the ball hitting the foot. Most people believe that a ball hitting a foot is a breach of the rules. Whilst this is not the case, players expectations of such a breach have been compounded by umpires in their search for consistency. The Rules Board now wishes that the rule be interpreted as it is written. As a result, unintentional and insignificant breaches, which bring no clear benefit, should not be penalised" This is a classic example of a rule that lots of players think they know , when in fact , they don’t. Be honest with yourself, How many times have you called ‘feet’ because you think the umpire has missed it. Have you ever stopped to think ‘maybe she didn’t’ Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that everyone who plays hockey should be able to quote from the rule book, all I’m saying is that even if you’re 110% sure of your facts, keep your mouth shut on the pitch and save your questions until the final whistle, maybe later if it’s a particularly sore point. I’m sure that most umpires will speak to you after the match if you need to clarify anything but you do need to be objective. Bear in mind that you have to accept their answer regardless of whether you believe they’re right or wrong. Remember there are proper channels to go through if your team seriously believes that an umpire is not up to standard. Be warned though ! Don’t try to blame the umpire for your poor performance. (Anon) |