Christchurch Netball Centre is running a series of profiles on some of our Centre umpires who have two or more family members umpiring.

Meet Lindsay Cameron and daughter Jordan Cameron...

CNC: When did you each take up umpiring, at what age and how long have you been doing it for?

Lindsay - Unofficially as a sideline parent in 2007 when Jordan started playing netball – helping out midweek school games and every second Saturday as I swapped between my son’s rugby and daughters netball.  Officially as a CNC umpire in 2016 at age 43.

Jordan – I started in the Whistlers programme in Yr 8 when I was 12 and I have been umpiring for six years.

CNC: Do any of you also play netball? And at what level?

Lindsay - I have never played netball.

Jordan – I play netball for St. Nicholas in the Under 19 grade

CNC: What qualifications to each of you have?

Lindsay - I currently have Zone Theory.

Jordan – I currently have Zone Theory.

CNC: Have you ever umpired together and what was that like?

Lindsay - We have never umpired on a Saturday together but we have umpired an international match together between Jordan’s school team Middleton Grange and a visiting team from Rugby, England.  This for me was fun and I was both pleased and proud to be able to umpire with Jordan who of course was the senior umpire.

Jordan – It was good umpiring with someone I knew well and I could trust with their calls to make the game even and flowing.

CNC: What were the initial motivations to take up umpiring?

Lindsay – I took up umpiring because I like a game or any sport to be fair and when people umpire who don’t want to then everything suffers. I enjoy helping a game to play fairly for both sides.

Jordan – My PE teacher in Yr 8 offered the Whistlers programme to us and I decided to do to have a better understanding of the game and have the opportunity to take up a different sport.

CNC: What is the best thing about umpiring? And what has been the highlight of your experiences so far?

Lindsay – The best part for me is hearing good feedback regardless of whether the team won or not.  I don’t really have a standout highlight but I have really enjoyed meeting new people both players, coaches and fellow umpires and being on the whistle side of the sport instead of playing.  I have a newfound respect for sport officials, it is easy to criticise someone but a lot harder to learn to umpire and take the criticism.

Jordan – I really enjoy umpiring and the best thing for me is making the game fair and helping it flow well.  My highlight is being selected for the Developiment Squad in 2016 for the SISS Tournament.

CNC: What is the best advice you could give to someone looking to take up umpiring?

Lindsay – Take a chance and get involved, everyone has been supportive and helpful to me and without volunteer game officials the game suffers.

Jordan – Don’t be afraid to blow your whistle and make a call as the players will respect you more if you make a call than not.  Keep going an don’t give up and always listen to the advice your coaches have as they have your best interests in mind and want you to achieve great things.

CNC: Anything we've missed?

Jordan – I have had problems with my feet this year so unfortunately I have been unable to umpire much this season, I am hoping to be better and back to umpiring for the 2018 season.