THE AFL today launched 'Umpiring is Everyone's Business', a campaign to support umpires at the community level of the game.

The campaign emphasises that everyone involved in Australian Football - coaches, players, administrators, parents and supporters - has a role to play in creating a positive match day environment.

The AFL, AFL Coaches Association, AFL Players Association and umpires have come together to help deliver the message to suburban and country leagues. The campaign is supported by a poster including Hawthorn coach Alistair Clarkson, St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt and All-Australian Umpire Brett Rosebury which will be distributed to every club and league in Australia.

AFL General Manager Football Operations Adrian Anderson said that while participation numbers continue to grow, the corresponding demand for umpires is not being met.

“The Australian Football community needs to act now to ensure football at community level continues to flourish. In recent years, nationally there has been an 89 per cent increase in the umpiring appointments required and only a 13 per cent growth in umpires which places enormous pressure on community leagues.

“We know people choose to be umpires for the love of the game and we need to work together to ensure umpires are respected and encouraged just like players, coaches and supporters.

“Abuse and intimidation of umpires from coaches, players and spectators turns umpires away from the game. Nationally the annual umpiring turnover is between 20 to 25 percent,” Mr Anderson said.

While the “Umpiring is Everyone’s Business” campaign is being launched this weekend in Round 8, it will continue throughout 2010 and will feature: 

• AFL senior and assistant coaches umpiring junior matches. Coaches who have already exchanged the coaches box for the whistle are Paul Roos, Mick Malthouse, Mark Neeld, Alan Richardson, Stephen Silvagni and Leon Cameron.
   
• AFL senior coaches and AFL umpires shaking hands before each match in the 2010 season. Many of the state and community leagues across Australia have also implemented similar initiatives.
   
• In Round Eight of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season the AFL umpires wearing lime green. This is the colour worn by new umpires at community level to alert players, coaches and spectators that the umpire is learning. AFL players will also shake hands with the umpires before every Round Eight match.
  
• A new television commercial supported by the Seven Network featuring Nick Riewoldt, Chris Judd, Tom Harley, Matthew Richardson, Leigh Matthews, Brett Ratten, Ross Lyon, Brad Scott, Leon Cameron, Mike Fitzpatrick and Adrian Anderson that will debut Friday night during the Fremantle v Collingwood match.
  
• At community level, leagues and clubs making players and coaches available to attend umpire training sessions and being used as ambassadors in local media coverage including newspapers, football records, radio and TV.
   
• Channel Seven running a competition for the community club which runs the best ‘Umpiring is Everyone’s Business’ activities.

 

The Umpiring Is Everyone's Business campaign and the filming of the television advertisement promoting respect for umpires have been supported by the Victorian Government.

Victorian Sports Minister James Merlino congratulated the AFL and said the State Government was happy to partner with the AFL on this campaign because it was important that all people in football at all levels of the game showed respect for umpires.

"This new campaign reinforces the message that we all have a responsibility to show respect for umpires and that there is no place for any abuse against umpires at any level of the game. That is a message that is central to our own Code of Conduct for Community Sport.”