AFL National Umpiring Director Wayne Campbell today announced South Australian umpire Eleni Glouftsis and Victorian umpire Lucinda Lopes had been placed on an AFL Female Pathway Scholarship in a bid for them to reach the senior AFL Field Umpire List in the coming years.

Campbell said Glouftsis, 22, and Lopes, 20, were considered the two most-promising female field umpires at state league level across the country and it was hoped that one or both would be able to reach AFL senior ranks with a specific program designed to fast-track their development.

“It’s incredibly important to the future of our game that we can continue to provide sufficient umpires for everyone who wants to play our game.

“It’s a real goal for us to both develop the numbers of female field umpires and to see a female field umpire push through to become a senior AFL umpire,’ Campbell said.

“Eleni and Lucinda have both shown considerable promise as umpires who could reach the elite level with their progress so far in the SANFL and VFL respectively and the pathway scholarship will aim to further develop them as elite umpires with intensive coaching and further match-day experience,” he said.

Campbell said neither umpire was yet ready to join the AFL senior list but it was hoped they could further develop their skills and push for a position in the near future, with specialised coaching and other assistance.

Eleni Glouftsis began umpiring in 2008 and progressed through the SANFL Under 16s, Under 18s and Reserves before making her senior state league debut as the first female field umpire in the competition’s 137-year history in August last year. She also umpired the Division One SA Amateurs Grand Final in 2012 and the SANFL Reserves Grand Final in both 2013and 2014 and is currently teaching secondary level PE and Science at the Kings Baptist Grammar School.

Lucinda Lopes played Auskick before taking up umpiring in the Northern Football League. After progressing through AFL Victoria’s Female Umpire Academy, she was included in the AFL Victoria Development squad at the start of 2014 and this year became the first female at state league level in 25 years. Lucinda is currently a third year Health Science Student at Latrobe University.

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