The Japan Netball Association has recently enjoyed an injection of umpiring knowledge into their ranks, after Netball Australia helped run a number of officiating development opportunities.
Through a one-year pilot program with the Australia-Japan Foundation, Netball Australia committed to increasing the knowledge, popularity and reach of netball in Japan through specialised training opportunities.
After initially delivering an online umpiring workshop in 2021, through former National AA umpire and SSN umpire coach Raechel Richards, the pandemic continued to wreak havoc on last year's plans.
The Australia-Japan Foundation grant funding for 2021-22 was extended to enable Netball Australia to continue with its plan to facilitate further activities relating to the objectives of our partnership with Japan Netball.
But with the Japanese international borders remaining closed in early September, and an in-country umpiring workshop off the cards initially, plans turned to adapting the activity to an online workshop.
Tim Marshall, National AA Umpire and SSN umpire, led the virtual umpiring Q&A session in October for the Japan Netball Association umpires.
Marshall, based in Melbourne, delivered a 90-minute virtual umpire development session, before the Japan Netball umpires took to the court in Annaka, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, to practice their new learnings. This training aimed to increase the skill and standard of umpires in the lead-up to last months’ All Japan Netball Championships.
Just prior to the virtual workshop, the Japanese Government announced borders were re-opening, allowing Netball Australia to pivot and put plan B into place as well – sending an umpire developer to Japan to deliver an in-person workshop and umpire mentoring program in November.
Marshall travelled to Japan a couple of weeks later and was welcomed by Japan Netball President Mrs Eiko Tago in Gunma. The trip enabled Marshall, on behalf of Netball Australia, to deliver an in-person training session for the growing contingent of umpires in Japan, followed by on court mentoring and coaching during the All Japan Netball Championships.
A highlight of the trip for Marshall was being welcomed by the Japan Netball umpires, and being able to lead them out at the opening ceremony, wearing a Japan Netball umpire shirt, and then also taking the court twice that afternoon.
This also allowed the Japan Netball players and umpires the chance to see the SSN umpire in full flight, and also tested Marshall’s ability to convey his umpiring by hand signals and his growing level of Japanese language skills.
As a part of the Australia-Japan Foundation partnership, Netball Australia has:
- Purchased and delivered a total of 700 Gilbert netballs to Japan Netball, for use in development activities, and to share amongst the netball community.
- Purchased and delivered four sets of portable netball goalposts to Japan Netball, eight individual goalposts in total.
- Purchased and delivered 10 sets of bibs to Japan Netball, to assist in development activities.
- Purchased and delivered a range of over 50 whistles for the umpires and members of Japan Netball to use in development activities and competitions.
- Delivered a virtual umpire workshop with National AA and SSN Umpire Coach Raechel Richards, in late 2021.
- Delivered a virtual umpire Q&A session with National AA and SSN Umpire Tim Marshall, as part of Japan Netball’s umpire development weekend in October 2022.
- Delivered an in-country umpire workshop, including theory and practical, with National AA and SSN Umpire Tim Marshall, in alignment with Japan Netball’s All Japan Netball Championships in November 2022.
- Delivered in country umpire coaching and mentoring, by National AA and SSN Umpire Tim Marshall, during Japan Netball’s All Japan Netball Championships in November 2022.
The face-to-face component in November was a key piece in the AJF funding delivery, and Netball Australia will look to the 2023/24 funding round for further AJF opportunities with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Japan Netball Association, to further assist them in their netball development.
