Umpires get IT all sorted

By Ken Moore
DETERMINED not to be left behind in the rapidly changing hi-tech world, the Gippsland Umpires Association (GUA) has launched its own Internet website.
Teenage field umpire and information technology (IT) buff, Jarred Dyson has designed the site and will maintain it in his role as the webmaster.
The site, www.gippslandumpires.org.au, went live last week.
The GUA hopes the Ellinbank and District Football League site will provide a link to its new site in the upcoming weeks.
Dyson said it would be a medium to advertise to both the general and football public its programs and initiatives and information on an umpiring career path.
“We also intend to populate it with coaching information, umpiring appointments and GUA history and plenty more content with time. Like all good websites it will be constantly updated,” he said.
Despite his tender age of only 17, Dyson has shown plenty of business acumen, having formed a company NetOz Technology Solutions with four of his mates.
It specialises in innovative information technology solutions and has reportedly been getting a steady stream of work.
However, if Dyson doesn’t secure a permanent job in IT, then he appears guaranteed a promising career with the whistle.
He has already officiated as a senior field umpire at the 2007 and 2008 EDFL grand finals and quite remarkably that was with less than 50 senior games under his belt.
For his rapid rise, he has been accepted into the VCFL umpiring academy, in fact, one of only ten young people in Victoria to be admitted.
Dyson was happy to talk about his initial experiences with the academy.
“It is the bridging step between the local associations and the AFL,” he said.
“It consists of a number of different programs, focuses on leadership and theory.
“We do a variety of things; we’ve have visited the Salvation Army’s outreach centre and had the opportunity to umpire an ‘Auskick’ game at the MCG to name just a few of the things we’ve done.”
Dyson described the VCFL training as challenging and of a high standard and took place on a regular basis at the Dandenong Stingrays’ Shepley Oval.
Not withstanding his two senior grand-final appearances he said taking part in the V-Line cup, an elite under-15 competition for country teams last season was also a highlight of his short career.
It would come as no surprise if Dyson follows in the footsteps of another West Gippsland umpire, Matt Stevic.
Like Dyson, Stevic was a precocious talent who also umpired a senior grand final at the age of 16 (the 1996 West Gippsland grand final) before promotion to the AFL panel in 2004.
Stevic has since chalked up 95 AFL senior games to the end of the 2008 season and barring injury will crack the ton early this season.
Dyson, who has spoken to Stevic, said he is aiming to pursue an AFL umpiring career and is very clear on what is required.
“My original interest was inspired by our former umpiring adviser Gavin Dore (a 300-AFL game veteran field umpire who officiated in the 1996 AFL grand final) after he organised some work experience for me at the AFL,” he said.
To make it you need to be invited to trial in the VFL and then make the AFL junior development panel both necessary stepping stones.”
His maturity has been also put to good use by the GUA in an off-field capacity.
Over summer Dyson was appointed to a newly created junior welfare officer role which he is also relishing.
“After we got around 25 green shirts (newcomers) last year our recruitment officer Steve Pratt needed a hand,” he said.
“My role is to take up any issues the under-18s may have, offer them support and have someone about their age to speak to in an official a capacity.”