WOMEN’S OFFICIATING WORKSHOP REPORT


Polocrosse Australia organised a workshop especially designed for women polocrosse officials. This was held at Caboolture on Saturday 20th June 2009.
It involved 10 women officials and 2 representatives of the National Officiating Committee.

 

The purpose of the workshop was to:

  • Discuss the environment and role of women officials in Australian Polocrosse.
  • Determine strategies to increase the involvement of women and women officials in Polocrosse, including mentoring.
  • Provide professional leadership development for women officials.

 

The key outcomes of the workshop were:

  • Women officials represent 20% of officials in Polocrosse yet make up 40% of all participants.
  • Women are significantly under-represented at National and State Boards and committees.
  • The focus on officiating is on rules rather than management of the game to ensure it is safe, fair and enjoyable for all.
  • Women need to be mentored and supported to ensure they can participate in all aspects of the sport at all levels.
  • There is scope to increase the recruitment and retention of women in polocrosse as players, officials, volunteers and Board/Committee members.

 

The professional development aspects incorporated into the workshop included:

  • Leadership attributes and leadership styles
  • Dealing with difficult situations and managing conflict
  • Effective communication
  • Mentoring and setting up mentoring programs

 

One of the key expectations of the workshop participants was that an action plan and strategy should be the outcome of the day to help drive the next steps in four key areas at the national, state and local level.

An outline of the plan is detailed in four focus areas:- leadership/management, recruitment, education/training and retention.

 

 

Workshop Action Plan

 

National

State

Local

Leadership/Management
  • Increase the profile of umpiring
  • Incorporate umpiring in national plan and dedicate resources to umpire development
  • Involve women on National Umpires Committee
  • Establish the position of state umpire’s coach
  • Establish an umpies mentor program/list
  • Appoint a club/zone umpire’s coach
  • Promote access to mentors

Recruitment
  • Develop and promote a clear structure and pathway for umpires from beginner to international level and disseminate widely
  • Provide a greater awareness of umpiring opportunities and support umpires through delivery of courses and competitions
  • Promote umpiring opportunities to players
  • Establish a junior umpires program at clubs for training and competition

Education and Training
  • Develop umpires training programs to incorporate game management in addition to rules application.
  • Develop national courses that are delivered with greater consistency around Australia
  • Train course presenters to ensure better consistency.
  • Establish a national mentoring programs for use at all levels
  • Identify and train course presenters for delivery of umpire courses
  • Develop feedback process including video analysis and feedback pro-forma
  • Appoint an umpires coach and umpire’s mentor(s) to assist club umpires
  • Make umpiring part of club training program
  • Assist umpires attend umpiring courses

Retention
  • Include umpires in awards programs
  • Compensate umpires for national umpiring if not playing
  • Hold a brunch for all umpires at nationals
  • Include umpires in awards programs
  • Recognise umpires in  all promotions, web site and annual reports
  • Host an umpires function at state events
  • Include umpires in awards programs
  • Establish a junior umpire program with a clear uniform or identification
  • Consider partners/kids draws to allocate games to women



Women Umpiring Plan


All the participants of the workshop held at Stanley Rivers Polocrosse Carnival on Sunday 21st June wanted to have specific, achievable plans
that could be implemented immediately

.
Those who attended plan to check in with each other at the end of November with the idea of having a review at the Ballarat Nationals.
Outcomes would depend on the action plan seen above

.

Inline with the action plan it was recommended that:

- Everyone run a workshop in conjunction with their Chief or Zone umpire, workshop participants to assist in delivery, covering topics from Henny.

- Workshops to have an additional push for women participation.

- Figures on female players in each state and female umpires and the percentage ratio be obtained for bench marking purposes.

- Encourage the option of having 2 genders in umpiring positions i.e. Zone Chief Umpire / Zone Umpire Coach.

- Every one to meet and re-evaluate at Ballarat.