Recruitment for Umpires to join the LHUA
November 06, 2017
The LHA Board had a joint meeting with the LHUA where the critical situation regarding the shortage of Umpires in Leinster was discussed. Over the past number of years the membership of the LHUA has declined and those that have given stalwart service are rapidly reaching retirement age. It is now the case that there will only be sufficient numbers to provide for Division 1 games and no Leinster games will be provided with official umpires on IHL weekends.
Yet every game played in Leinster is umpired. So where are all the umpires gone?
Umpiring can be as fulfilling as playing the game and there are opportunities to travel the country and abroad with our top umpires making it all the way to the Olympics.
Currently the LHUA have programmes to get Umpires of a similar age officiating at U16 Competition level.
Ideally the recruitment of new blood would be on a purely volunteer basis but in the current crisis situation the LHA have agreed a program of recruitment where we are requesting Clubs to assist and provide on the following basis:
- Each club to provide one person for each team per section* up to a max of two per section
- Club to pay reduced LHUA membership of €10 on behalf of each volunteer/umpire which will include insurance cover
- Nominated person to umpire a minimum of two games in season and these games to be informed by the club to the LHUA
- Individuals will be mentored, assessed & certified by the LHUA
- Club umpire will be allowed to continue to umpire their own club games as doing so currently
*Section is defined as Ladies, Men or South East
Club with 1 Ladies and 1 Men teams to provide max 2 names
Club with 2 Ladies and 1 Men teams to provide max 3 names
Club with 4 Ladies and 3 Men teams to provide max 4 names
Note: The LHA would hope for a positive response and not to have to impose sanctions.
Clubs are asked to register their umpires with the LHUA at traininglhua@gmail.com
