Elsie Lange
It was the anxiety of performing that inspired Paige Giles to swap her dance shoes for a pair of footy boots and a whistle.
“It’s just been such a fantastic outlet, it’s a great community,” Ms Giles said of her passion for umpiring.
Ms Giles is part of Riddell Umpires, servicing the Riddell District Football League, and they are looking for new recruits.
She has been umpiring for the last couple of years inspired by her dad, who she said has been doing it “all his life”.
“Without umpires there would be no footy matches,” Ms Giles said.
“It’s so important – community sport is so integral to peoples’ lives.”
Addam Icely, Riddell Umpires president, said numbers had dwindled in recent years due to the impact of COVID-19.
“If new umpires come along, they improve their fitness, they make new friends, they engage with football players on the ground,” Mr Icely said.
“The best thing about it all, for a young kid especially, is that they can make a little bit of money on the side by doing it.”
Mr Icely said he hoped to get more families involved in the hobby, too.
“You can, as a family unit, do something together with your mum and dad, with your brother or sister, it’s a family environment we’re trying to provide,” Mr Icely said.
“You make a lot of new friends out of it and you get a good, rewarding life experience.”
With her sister on board too, Ms Giles loves that umpiring is a family affair.
“My aim is to have a game with her at some stage this year,” she said.
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