Passionate Riddell ­Umpires member Graeme Carter chalks up milestone

GRAEME  Carter always loved his footy. The only problem was, he “wasn’t much good” at playing it.

Graeme Carter from Riddell Umpires will officiate his 1000th game this weekend. Picture: David Smith

GRAEME  Carter always loved his footy.

The only problem was, he “wasn’t much good” at playing it.

Sick of not being picked, Carter hung up the boots at under-16s level.

“I’d go down to training every week and not get picked, so I thought, ‘there’s got to be something better than this’,” he said.

What the now 69-year-old soon discovered was a passion for umpiring, which is still blossoming today.

Carter will officiate his 1000th game for Riddell ­Umpires behind the goals this weekend, becoming just the fifth member in the ­association’s 34-year history to reach the milestone.

“Just to be involved is great and the camaraderie with the fellow umpires, its real teamwork,” Carter said.

“And being involved in the game is really great. You get a front-row seat.”

The Sunbury resident has been a goal umpire throughout his time at ­Riddell Umpires after ­joining in 1989.

However, Carter previously also spent time as a field umpire in the Essendon District Football League.

“In the late ’60s and early ’70s, I used to be a field umpire down in the Essendon District league,” he said.

“Then I got married and came up to Sunbury and had the kids and the family, so I sort of stopped. But when that was all done I thought I wouldn’t mind getting into it again, but I wasn’t going to run this time.”

Carter normally officiates two games each weekend during football season and said he had no plans to put away the flags any time soon.

“I’ll keep going as long as I can and as long as they still want me,” he said.

Riddell Umpires supplies officials for the Riddell District Football League as well as some Ballarat Football League matches.

Anyone interested in becoming an umpire can visit riddellumpires.com.au for more information.