Umpire Information

What is NetFest? 
  • NetFest is celebrating 10 years!! NetFest is a mass participation end of netty season extravaganza hosted by Netball Australia 
  • Dates for 2020 are Thursday 26 – Sunday 29 November 
  • Held on the Sunshine Coast at the Maroochydore Multi Sports Complex (Outdoor and Fast5 matches) and at Mooloolaba Surf Beach (Beach netball) 
  • Outdoor, Fast5 and Beach Netball will be played offered to female competitive & social, mixed competitive & social sections. 
What is a NetFest umpire? 
  • Being a NetFest umpire is a great opportunity to earn money, professionally develop your umpiring skills, and enjoy all the great elements of NetFest whilst being on the beautiful Sunshine Coast. 
  • We are looking for enthusiastic, energetic and qualified umpires to umpire at the biggest 4-day netball competition in Australia!! 
Requirements
  • All NetFest umpires should ideally hold a ‘C’ badge accreditation level or above, (as per INF Netball Rules). Note: We do allow non-badged umpires that have experience and requested to be screened for testing. 
  • Umpires must be at least 14 years of age.    
  • Umpires are not required to umpire every day but will be rostered onto matches pending their availability. 
  • Umpires are to wear white, bring own whistle and reusable drink bottle. 
  • Chair (if you wish to sit outside when not umpiring and watch matches in action) 
  • Strapping (if required) 
  • Cap & Sunscreen 
  • Lunch (or money for food/beverages) 
  • Positive attitude and ready to have fun 

 

 

Register 

- Umpires must register through the Umpire Registration Link  
- Registering as an umpire doesn’t mean that you can’t play!  Just let us know which team you are playing in when registering so we can schedule your games appropriately.

Payment 

- Beach umpires: remunerated $100 per day 
- Outdoor umpires: remunerated $12 per game 
- Fast5 umpires: remunerated $12 per game 

Payment is subject to an umpire completing their allocation per session, as outlined on the NetFest umpiring roster.  

All NetFest umpire payments will be direct deposited into your account during the week commencing Monday 30 November. 

- If you umpired at NetFest in 2019 and your bank details have not changed you do not need to do anything more.  We have all your details on file. 
- If you are new to NetFest you need to complete the two forms that will be sent to you upon registering as a NetFest umpire, and send them back to us at umpires@netfest.com.au by Friday 30 October.
email 

- You will receive your amount in one payment.   
- If you umpire multiple sessions at NetFest they will be tallied together and one transaction will be made. 

The description when the NetFest payment is made will be NETBALL AUSTRALIA. 

Contact umpires@netfest.com.au providing your name, and the number of sessions you umpired at NetFest and a team member will respond to your query within 24 hours.
email 

- Ensure you PRINT – NOT SIGN your name clearly at the bottom of the scorecard of every match you umpire.   
- You can visit the netball office and check the number of games you have umpired before you leave at the end of each session.

Match locations, dates & times 

- Beach Competition: The Mooloolaba Surf Beach, Mooloolaba Esplanade, Mooloolaba 
- Outdoor Competition: Maroochydore Multi Sport Complex, Fisherman Road, Maroochydore 
- Fast5 Competition: Maroochydore Multi Sport Complex, Fisherman Road, Maroochydore 

NetFest runs from Thursday 26 – Sunday 29 November 

You don’t have to umpire the entire 4 days!! 

- Beach Matches:  2 x 6 minute halves  
- Outdoor Matches:  2 x 10 minutes halves   
- Fast5 Matches:  2 x 6 minute halves

Umpire allocations & umpire support 

- Beach Competition: Umpires will be allocated by the Umpire Manager based on badge level and experience. 
- Outdoor Competition: Umpires will be grouped into a team of up to four and allocated to one court for their allocated shift.  
- Fast5 Competition: Umpires will be grouped into a team of up to four and allocated to one court for their allocated shift.  
- An umpire team captain will be nominated for each court.  

 

Confirmation of individual umpire rosters will be sent via email. 

Approximately 10 games per session.  

- Beach umpires: Will be allocated breaks throughout the day.  
- Outdoor umpires: Will umpire approximately 2 games on, 2 games off across their session.  
- Fast5 umpires: Will umpire approximately 2 games on, 2 games off across their session.  

- Beach umpires: Will be allocated a court and then rostered to times in the session. Rosters will be emailed prior to the start of NetFest.  
- Outdoor umpires: Will be allocated to a court and provided with a schedule of the games being played on that court. The team of umpires on the court are responsible for determining who is umpiring each match. An umpire team captain will assist with allocating umpires to matches. 
- Fast5 umpires: Will be allocated to a court and provided with a schedule of the games being played on that court. The team of umpires on the court are responsible for determining who is umpiring each match. An umpire team captain will assist with allocating umpires to matches.  

AS A GUIDE THE FOLLOWING TIMES BASED ON 2019 COMPETITION 

Beach Netball:
Start Time - 10:00am 

Outdoor Netball:

Morning Session:
Start Time -  8:00am (Friday & Saturday) 
                     9:00am (Sunday – Finals Day) 

Afternoon Session:
Start Time - 1:00pm (Friday & Saturday) 

Fast5 Netball:
Start Time - 5:30pm (Thursday & Friday) 
                    7:30pm (Saturday) 

 

The Umpire Managers and Umpire Coaches will be on site to answer any queries.

Player/umpire 

You will umpire the session when your team isn’t playing.  Teams will play in a morning or afternoon session, never both on the one day. 

- Player/Umpires won’t umpire their own team  
- However, there is the potential they might umpire the same division. Please remember all umpires are representing NetFest in an umpiring role and as such professional conduct is expected at all times

- Player/Umpires MUST wear a white shirt over their team uniform.  
- It is preferred that Player/Umpires do change out of their playing uniform prior to playing (there is plenty of time to change from being a player to an umpire).   
- It is vital that players on the court recognise you as an umpire and not a player.

On the day 

- Umpires will need to sign in at the Umpires Room upon their arrival each day.   
- There will be an umpire briefing prior to the start of each session of play, where the Umpire Manager will advise your court allocation and team captain. 
- You will be allocated the same court for the duration of your session. 
- We ask umpires to arrive 45 mins prior to the first scheduled match. 

- Beach Netball: There is only one umpire per game.  
- Outdoor Netball: The NetFest Umpire Manager will advise umpires and courts at the Umpire Meeting prior to the start of each session.   
- Dependent on umpire availability it’s likely you will umpire with different umpires each session. Umpires will be placed in teams based on experience and skill and the level of games on the court. 

- Umpires must be at the court 5 minutes before the start of each game.   
- Regular announcements are made throughout the day in regard to rounds commencing

- Beach umpires: Will be required to stay at the beach courts for the duration of the day. There will be plenty of activities to enjoy throughout the day 
- Outdoor umpires: Are not required to be at the allocated court all day. Each umpire within the team will know what times/rounds they are umpiring. It is the responsibility of each umpire to make sure they are at the court before the conclusion of the previous round (5 minutes before the start of the next match). 

- Firstly, umpires are to always remain professional.  
- Issues are to be raised by the umpires with the Umpire Court Supervisor at half time.  
- Senior umpires are asked to step in if a junior umpire is experiencing any issues on court.  
- If an umpire still has a concern at the conclusion of the match then further discussion is required with the Umpire Court Supervisor, who may then elevate the issue to the NetFest Umpire Manager or NetFest Tournament Manager. 

- No. Each umpire will be given approximately the same number of games in fairness, and to ensure no umpire is fatigued.  
- Remember, umpires will only be paid for the games allocated to umpire.  
- The only exception to this rule is if prior approval has been made with the NetFest Umpire Manager to umpire additional games. 

No. All umpires must remain at the courts until the end of the session. This is to ensure that we have emergency umpires in case of injury or illness.   

- Umpires are responsible for their own belongings.  
- Netball Australia is not responsible for lost or stolen property.  
- If you have something valuable you need to leave in the Umpires Room, please speak with the NetFest Umpire Manager on the day. 

- Umpires that umpire at NetFest will receive a NetFest umpire polo, when they arrive at the venue for their first umpiring session. 
- It’s not compulsory to wear the NetFest umpire shirt – however we know you will love the shirt and want to wear it! 
- Whistles may be available for sale in the netball office.

Reserve umpires 

  • Reserve umpires are a crucial element of NetFest. 
  • Reserve umpires provide vital support for umpires and the teams participating.  
  • Umpires allocated to be a Reserve umpire for their round must remain in close proximity to the court. 
  • The Reserve umpire will only be paid for games umpired.  
  • If an injured umpire is unable to continue, a Reserve umpire will take over all games allocated to the injured umpire and be paid accordingly. 

Junior umpires 

  • Although NetFest is an over 18 years netball competition we welcome junior umpires (under 18 years of age). 
  • Umpires must be at least 14 years of age.    
  • Beach Competition: we will have a senior umpire at their court to support if required.  
  • Outdoor Competition: junior umpires will umpire with a senior badged umpire within their group of umpires. 
  • Two junior umpires cannot be umpiring on the same court at the same time.  
  • Junior umpires should be badged or have adequate experience in umpiring senior netball. 

Finals umpires 

  • Umpire selection for Finals at both venues on Sunday will be at the discretion of the NetFest Umpire Manager. 

Umpire uniform 

Beach Umpire  

  • Uniform consists black shorts and a white top.   
  • Umpires umpire in bare feet, socks are ok. 
  • NetFest umpire polos will be provided for all umpires who umpire. 
  • Bring a cap, sunglasses, sunscreen & a reusable water bottle. 
  • Don’t forget your whistle 
  • Bring a chair to sit close to the action! 

Outdoor Umpire  

  • Uniform must be white. 
  • NetFest umpire polos will be provided for all umpires. 
  • Bring a cap, sunglasses, sunscreen & a reusable water bottle. 
  • Don’t forget your whistle 
  • Bring a chair to sit close to the action! 

Fast5 Umpire 

  • Casual bright clothes are okay and in fact encouraged! 
  • NetFest umpire polos will be provided for all umpires. 
  • Bring a cap, sunglasses , sunscreen & a reusable water bottle. 
  • Don’t forget your whistle 
  • Bring a chair to sit close to the action! 

Player/Umpires 

  • Player/Umpires MUST wear a white shirt over their team uniform.  
  • It is preferred that Player/Umpires do change out of their playing uniform prior to playing (there is plenty of time to change from being a player to an umpire).   
  • It is vital that players on the court recognise you as an umpire and not a player. 
Other questions 

Further umpire enquiries should be directed to our friendly team at umpires@netfest.com.au