For the first time ever a senior game of the Central Australian Football League has been umpired entirely by females
A SENIOR women’s match between South and Pioneers featured an all-female umpire line up for the first time in Central Australian Football League history
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A SENIOR women’s match between South and Pioneers featured an all-female umpire line up for the first time in Central Australian Football League history.
The Northern Territory has the highest female umpire participation rate in the country at 23 per cent.
Among the seven umpire who took to the field on Friday evening was Jessie Woolford, who is currently in her fifth year of boundary umpiring in Alice Springs, having started in 2017.
“It was awesome to walk out on the field because the most evident thing was that it felt different – us girls had a lot of fun and during the game,” Woolford said.
“I started out as a boundary umpire after my PE teacher told me to give it a go because I love running so much and I’ve stuck with it ever since.
“He told me at a great time because the next week they had a ‘come and try’ night which was awesome because everyone was super welcoming and wanted to help me learn the ropes.”
Woolford joined Ahnika Lennie and Alyssa Reid on the boundary, Kasey Ashenden and Bronte Stray umpired on the field and Claire Norman and Alyssa Rosenthal were in the goals.
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The 17-year-old has since become an umpiring coach hoping to help develop the next generation of umpires.
“I really enjoy umpire coaching, especially because I love being a role model and training up the new generation of umpires,” Woolford said.
“It is awesome to see so many females joining and enjoying the umpiring community. It is such a great way to meet new people. Even when some games get a bit stressful, you know you have your friends there to make easier.”
AFLNT Umpire Coordinator Sam Cunningham said the future of female umpiring in the Territory was bright.
“It is fantastic to see the increase in female participation in the CAFL umpiring group. This has come down to the inviting environment and leadership from our female umpires,” he said.
“Boundary head coach Jessie Woolford has been doing an outstanding job for a number of years in creating this environment at only 17 years old.”