Introduction

Umpiring is a great way for girls and women to be part of Australian Football. It provides an opportunity to get up close to the action while teaching outstanding life skills such as leadership, assertiveness and decision making.  The number of female umpires (field, goal and boundary) is on the rise around Australia – watch the video below to see all the benefits umpiring can provide.

Why women umpire  

Throughout Australia over 10,000 umpires take to the field each weekend to officiate in matches’ of Australian Football.  Of these umpires over 700 of them are female with this number continuing to rise.  Women are taking up umpiring in record numbers and are making a tremendous contribution to our great game.  However, this is a win/win situation as women are developing some great skills from umpiring that will assist them throughout life.  Developing leadership skills is a key component of becoming an umpire.  Women will also learn to become more assertive as well as developing excellent decision making skills.

While there are many female umpires at the community level of football, the AFL now has its second female ‘Goal Umpire’ officiating in AFL matches.   Her name is Chelsea Roffey -

Chelsea Roffey

Chelsea was born in South Australia, raised in Brisbane and now resides in Melbourne. Her love of footy started when she was young, accompanying her parents on their weekend sporting ventures.

In her final year of high school in 1998, Roffey decided she’d had enough of her music classes, which opened up room in her schedule.  When she heard the football team needed volunteers, she started goal umpiring for her school.  The year after she finished high school, she started umpiring in the AFLQ, progressing to State level matches soon after.  In June 2004 she was elevated to the AFL and in August that year she officiated her first game between Brisbane and West Coast.  To date she has completed 46 AFL matches and many Wizard and NAB Cup games as well.

In the male-dominated world of football, Roffey said there would always be “doubting Thomas’” who wondered if she was up to the job. “But it’s more of a self-imposed feeling. I had to do press conferences and interviews, things a male goal umpire entering the game wouldn’t have to do. I just wanted to prove myself,” she said. But what about players or other umpires? "At that level, the players don’t care, as long as you’re doing your job,” she said.

“The other umpires are very professional; they just want to know that I’m working as hard as them.” And work hard they certainly do. Goal umpires in the AFL have to do a 4km time trial, a beep test and agility tests in the pre-season. They also get skin folds taken four times a year. In a typical week, Roffey trains twice a week. There is a video session on Tuesdays and on Wednesdays there is an intense workout with a fitness coach and a skills session.

There are no full-time umpires in the AFL, so most have other jobs to support themselves. “There are barristers and accountants amongst the umpiring ranks,” Roffey said, “Umpiring is a huge commitment. It’s directed my whole life choices – I’ve got to live in a capital city of Australia and I haven’t lived overseas yet. “But at the same time I sometimes stop and think to myself that this job of umpiring is really cool!”

Her passion for the game is infectious. One of her highlights includes “umpiring a game where Jonathon Brown and Matthew Pavlich were vying for the Coleman Medal,” she said. “I remember watching their tallies during the game on the big screen. Brown would kick a goal and his score would go up and the crowd would go wild. Then Pavlich would get a goal and his would go up and the crowd would go wild. I love riding the rollercoaster with the fans, it’s what footy is about.”

Roffey is not a recruitment officer, nor is she a cheerleader for signing up girls into umpiring positions -- her message is plain and simple. “Females have what it takes to umpire football. It’s not a matter of should they or shouldn’t they, it’s just that they can.”  Click here to see an interview with Chelsea Roffey