Female umpires run an eitre day of matches in EDFL as league celebrates successful push for more female whistleblowers

THE Essendon District Football League celebrated a successful push to recruit more female umpires with women taking control of an entire day of football on Saturday.

One of the all-female umpiring teams from the weekend's matches between Glenroy and Hillside — Julia Montesano (boundary), Amy McQuade (field), Natalie Pace (field), Danielle Murphy (boundary), Penny Godsell (goal). Photo: Glenn Bailey, www.jagimaging.com.au

WHEN  Essendon  District Football League field ­umpire Briana Martin-Bashtannyk joined the ­whistleblowing ranks eight years ago, she was one of just a handful of female ­umpires running around in the league.

In a sign of how far things have come, the 22-year-old was part of one of three all-female umpiring teams that took control of the under-18.5, reserves and senior matches between Glenroy and Hillside on the weekend.

In what was a first for the league, the day celebrated the successful recruiting push in recent years to ­attract more female ­umpires to the EDFL ­Umpires Association.

The all-female umpiring crews were not just limited to field umpires, with ­females running the boundary and waving the flags ­behind the goals throughout the day as well.

EDFL umpires coach Rowan Sawers said the day showed the depth of talent within the league’s female umpire ranks.

“It’s an endorsement for the junior umpiring program that we’ve got in place,” Sawers said.

“We’ve got 120 green-shirt (first year) umpires this ­season and a quarter of them are girls. It’s important to show that there are opportunities all the way up to senior football.”

Martin-Bashtannyk, who is also the EDFLUA’s female umpires liaison, said the growth in female umpire numbers since she started out had been great to see.

“I think it’s down to the welcoming environment,” she said.

“Everyone’s supportive of each other and it really is something you want to keep coming back to.”