A year round whistle blower

Western Australian football umpire, Amy McQuade virtually blows her whistle all year round! In summer Amy heads off to rectangular fields where she’s a competent Touch umpire. Then in winter she runs around ovals in men’s senior community where she field umpires A grade seniors and colts. By final’s time she is very busy officiating in both men’s and women’s league games.

“I love rocking up to my games with the guys expecting me to be a goal umpire and then seeing the look on their faces when they find out I’m a field umpire!” quipped McQuade.

Females are taking up all umpiring disciplines in increasing numbers which can only be good for the game overall. This year 810 females have been blowing a whistle or waving the flags in various levels of competition across the country.

McQuade joins ten other umpires in the first ever National titles for U18 Youth Girls in Melbourne from September 6 with finals contested at Craigieburn Oval on the 11th. She will be a member of an intensive live in program funded by the AFL (with assistance from AFL Victoria and the Western Australian Football Commission) to ensure the most talented umpires are encouraged to challenge themselves and network with like minded female umpires form other states.

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