Netball: The whistle-blowers

By JULIE ASH

When David Pala'amo played club netball in Dunedin a few years back he used to get really hacked off with the standard of umpiring.

But instead of complaining, Pala'amo decided to do something about it.

Ten years later he is one of New Zealand's top umpires and is one of two men controlling games in the national league.

"I do it because I like the sport itself," Pala'amo said. "It is a very skilful game and I like being involved."

Men have been umpiring netball almost as long as the modern game has existed.

"I can remember when I was a player in the 1960s and 1970s there were male umpires," said Netball New Zealand's umpire coordinator Jan Teesdale. "It is not unusual."

In netball, there are four levels of umpiring: local, regional, national and international.

Progressing to higher levels requires passing written and practical tests.

Once umpires have achieved the national level requirements they receive a New Zealand badge which means they are eligible to umpire at national events such as the national age-group championships, the national provincial championships and the national league.

Those who gain high marks in the assessments for the New Zealand badge can then be selected as international umpires - something Pala'amo achieved 1 1/2 years ago.

His first international assignment was the South Pacific mini-games, followed by the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

"Joan Hodson and I were New Zealand's representatives at the Games.

"It was just amazing, an incredible experience."

His biggest challenge in Manchester came when he was appointed to umpire the clash between Trinidad and Tobago and Australia.

"It was an extremely physical match.

"It was my first time umpiring Australia and there were 6000 screaming fans so it was pretty full-on."

Coping with the pressure that comes with umpiring close matches is something you learn to deal with he said.

"I never look at the score. I can sort-of gauge how it is going by how the crowd reacts, but I never know the exact score until the end of the game."

Pala'amo said players generally did not give the umpires too much flak.

"I don't have problems with the players at all. If I do a good job then they are happy but they are not stupid and know if you do muck up."

The other male umpire in the national league is 38-year-old Aucklander Josef Brown.

Like Pala'amo, Brown was a player before he became an umpire.

"I used to play for a club team in Rotorua. We had to supply our own umpires so I used to do the umpiring for our team. It kind of all started from there."

Brown received his New Zealand badge in the mid-1990s and has since umpired in two national provincial championships and four age-group championship.

"Fitness is really important," he said. "I probably train about five times a week."

The job can be hectic. Last weekend Brown, who is in his first season officiating in the national league, umpired in Christchurch on Friday night, on the North Shore on Saturday and then in New Plymouth on Sunday.

But neither man has any intention of hanging up the whistle.

"I enjoy the sport immensely - being part of it without being a player. You get to go to all these games and it is just great," said Brown.

As for the more experienced Pala'amo, his sights are set on reaching the pinnacle of the sport.

"If I get to the world championships that will be a real bonus," said Pala'amo. "But I intend to stick with the game until I get sick of it."

Inside Track

* Name: Josef Brown

* Age: 38

* Born: Rotorua

* Lives: Auckland

* Career highlights:

2003 - National Bank Cup

2001/2 - National Provincial Championships

1998-2002 - Age-Group Championships.


* Name: David Pala'amo

* Age: 41

* Born: Christchurch

* Lives: Christchurch.

* Career highlights:

2002 - Commonwealth Games

2002 - South Pacific mini-tournament

1999-2003 - National Bank Cup

1999-2002 - National Provincial Championships.

1999-2003- Coach of the New Zealand men's netball team.