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Umpires are a vital part of making each game fair and competitive in the Australian Football League, also known as the AFL. While the goal of many umpires is to judge games at the professional level, all applicants must work through the ranks in order to gain experience. Potential AFL umpires begin at the local level, where they work nonprofessional youth and recreation club games.
Many local teams offer frequent training for individuals who wish to start their umpire career. This training, called the Basic Umpiring Course, is conducted by team coaches, and serves as an uncompetitive way for beginners to learn the rules of Australian football. Skills learned during the Basic Umpiring Course include judging goals, moving on the field and communicating with players. -
When an umpire has developed basic skills at the local level, advance training and more competitive games become available. If an umpire has shown that he can make sound judgments at the local level, team coaches can recommend that they be accepted into the State Development Panel.
Once accepted into the State Development Panel, umpires receive additional education and gain more experience by judging faster and more competitive state-level players. At this level, umpires become well-rounded in judging all aspects of the game. -
As with any professional career, an in-depth application process is needed in order to join the ranks of AFL umpires. Applicants are required to document their umpiring experience and provide references to confirm these qualifications. Next, an interview is conducted by the AFL human resources department. This interview allows league officials to evaluate umpires to determine whether they have what it takes to be hired.
Once an umpire applicant has passed all stages of the AFL hiring process, he receives professional-level training to prepare for judging in the AFL.
