Gisborne's Jo Cumming nervous but excited in countdown to first Commonwealth Games

Poverty Bay umpire Jo Cumming will be blowing the whistle in women’s hockey games while former Gisborne lawn bowler Shannon McIlroy will compete in his third Commonwealth Games. Picture by Liam Clayton

GISBORNE’S Jo Cumming admits she never thought she would be good at umpiring.

It is just as well then that the Hockey New Zealand Umpires and Officials advisory group didn’t agree.

Now an International Hockey Federation-ranked umpire, Cumming is counting down to the 21st Commonwealth Games, which are officially opened at the Gold Coast’s Carrara Stadium tonight.

It will be the 36-year-old Cumming’s first Commonwealth Games.

She will officiate women’s games in Pool A, which comprises England, India, South Africa, Malaysia and Wales.

New Zealand are in Pool B alongside Australia, Scotland, Canada and Ghana.

“I’ve known for a year that I was going but I tried to put it to the back of my mind,” said Cumming, adding she would never have made it to this level without the support of her husband Ross, who, in her absence, will be looking after their kids — Hunter, 7, and Reid, 5.

“I’m lucky to have not only their support but support from so many others — family, friends and work colleagues.

Talking to The Herald several days out from her departure, Cumming said the experience ahead of her was only just starting to sink in.

She was “a little bit nervous” but more excited about what will be “the highlight of my hockey career”.

“Although I don’t think it will really sink in until I’m walking out to umpire a game.”

Cumming first started umpiring when she was a teenagerTauranga-born Cumming,was an age group representative player up to under-21 level. She first took up the whistle in her teens to help out her mum who coached her sister’s hockey team.

“I really enjoyed it. I was still playing but umpiring was another aspect of the game that I quite enjoyed.

“From there it was just a matter of learning the rules and progressing through the age group tournaments.

“But I never thought I would get to umpire at the Commonwealth Games. Even after umpiring in the National Hockey League for six years, I never thought I was anything special.

“Back then I never had any goals of umpiring at that level, or the Olympics. I was just enjoying putting something back into the game”.

Four years ago that changed when following impressive performances at the Four Nations tournament in Ireland, Cumming was added to the International Hockey Federation’s umpiring list.

She sat down with a Hockey New Zealand umpire development officer and they formulated a plan to get to the Commonwealth Games.

Cumming said her overseas experience from umpiring in the World Hockey League and the Four Nations Festival would help ease any nerves.

“International games are faster but, because of the higher standard of play, easier to read.

“I’ve been doing some extra speed training with Amber (Church, of Gisborne, who umpired at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Rio).

“We start at 5am. There are days when one or the other might not want to get up but the other one will make sure we do it. We also have to do fitness tests, with the last one being a month ago, so I’m feeling good fitness-wise, although I have to admit, I like training when it’s over.”

Cumming, who plays Poverty Bay club hockey for Paikea alongside Church, said she enjoyed the travel opportunities her umpiring has given her.

“It’s good to visit countries and experience different cultures, but it’s always good to come home.”

The secret to being a good umpire was not rocket science.

“Being fit and being in the right place, at the right time. It’s also good to be able to move on if you make a bad call; not to dwell on it but learn from it.”