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J'can umpire in high demand on int'l circuit
BY DANIA BOGLE Observer staff reporter bogled@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, June 17, 2007
IN just two years as an international netball umpire, Chris Campbell has become one of the most requested officials in the sport and is often asked to officiate games featuring the top teams in the world, New Zealand and Australia.
Campbell officiating a local netball match in Kingston.
The former Ardenne High student who attained the International Federation of Netball Association (IFNA) International Umpire Award in 2005 is one of only three Jamaican international netball umpires. Dalton Hinds and Janet Guy are the others.
Campbell, who recently returned from England where he officiated in a 'Test' series featuring England 'A', Australia and New Zealand, speaks of his success as an umpire.
"I'm one of the top-ranked (umpires) in the world. Australia and New Zealand can't do their own games, so they go to the next in line so, I fall there.
"You have to focus; you have to stay strong, but I think I'm able to go through that. I've been through it
a few times and I think, as one of my trainers put it, I'm respected by these people and I come and I'm competent, so from that perspective I think I'm given the big games."
Among the big games that Campbell was given was last year's Commonwealth Games final between Australia and New Zealand in Melbourne, where the latter won to add to their World Netball title achieved in 2003 in Kingston.
That assignment came not long after his first big assignment - which also featured the two Oceania teams - the 2005 Under-21 World Youth Championships held in Palm Beach, Florida.
"Australia-New Zealand is no easy game... it's fast, it's physical, there's a lot of stuff happening and you have to carry out your duties well and allow the game to flow... It's not always easy.. everybody going at each other, everybody wants to win."
He said Australians have a great love for netball, which outside of cricket is the biggest team sport in that country and the biggest sport involving women.
"The game is a little more physical there - faster and more dynamic - and so people will go to watch it and there's a better appreciation for the game. They are really passionate about it, " Campbell told the Sunday Observer. The 39-year-old Campbell began his netball career over 20 years ago; first as an umpire, then as coach of a West Kingston-based side before being appointed coach of Tivoli.
Tivoli 'A', which boast national players Kasey Evering and Peter-Gaye Thomas, finished third in the recently concluded Berger Super League and were champions of the JPS Community President's competition.
"I've also liked the West Kingston spirit and I've become a household name in and outside (West Kingston) now ... I think the sport programme is a good one," Campbell said.
"Tivoli is stigmatised because of where it is, so... we don't have that big base to draw from. I think they are the best team, but the best team doesn't always win," he said.
Campbell has also coached club team Omega, plus Heart Trust and JPS to Business House and club league titles.
He thinks Jamaica's senior netballers could have a tough task at hand if they are to maintain or improve their world No 3 ranking at the World Championships in New Zealand from November 10-17.
"I think Australia and New Zealand are mentally tougher and I suspect England have been doing quite a bit of work because they beat New Zealand in their last series (in May).
"The game they played against Australia was very close too, so I think any of those three can win on a given day," Campbell stated.
Jamaica finished fourth at the 2006 Commonwealth Games after losing by a point (52-53) to England in their bronze medal match.
"Jamaica is coming in that second tier so I think we're heading for anything under three. I don't know what Samoa has, but they tend to have a lot of New Zealanders who haven't made that team and Fiji tends to be a bit physical, so I think we could fall anywhere under three," he reiterated.
"The other teams have improved. England's game has really gone up... our standard... we have good players, we just need to develop and show them that if you really put some hard work in it... they'll do well in Auckland...
"As a coach, I've always believed netball was designed for a draw, but in all of this you must be able to pressure and absorb pressure and that level of competitive and high intensity and be able to manage those games," he added.
Fitness is very important to Campbell, who spends time in the gym five days a week. He has a tough stance on other umpires whom he believes are not putting in the requisite amount of work to keep up with the players.
"We are not attracting any new people, but the old ones are rotting," he said. "Umpiring has a real technique to it; it's a journey, not a destination... work in progress, but you have to come, you cannot lag behind and still think there's a place for you."
Campbell also spoke to the fact that there is a serious shortage of umpires and once where there was a problem of quality, there is now an issue of quantity.
BY DANIA BOGLE Observer staff reporter bogled@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, June 17, 2007
IN just two years as an international netball umpire, Chris Campbell has become one of the most requested officials in the sport and is often asked to officiate games featuring the top teams in the world, New Zealand and Australia.
Campbell officiating a local netball match in Kingston.The former Ardenne High student who attained the International Federation of Netball Association (IFNA) International Umpire Award in 2005 is one of only three Jamaican international netball umpires. Dalton Hinds and Janet Guy are the others.
Campbell, who recently returned from England where he officiated in a 'Test' series featuring England 'A', Australia and New Zealand, speaks of his success as an umpire.
"I'm one of the top-ranked (umpires) in the world. Australia and New Zealand can't do their own games, so they go to the next in line so, I fall there.
"You have to focus; you have to stay strong, but I think I'm able to go through that. I've been through it
a few times and I think, as one of my trainers put it, I'm respected by these people and I come and I'm competent, so from that perspective I think I'm given the big games."
Among the big games that Campbell was given was last year's Commonwealth Games final between Australia and New Zealand in Melbourne, where the latter won to add to their World Netball title achieved in 2003 in Kingston.
That assignment came not long after his first big assignment - which also featured the two Oceania teams - the 2005 Under-21 World Youth Championships held in Palm Beach, Florida.
"Australia-New Zealand is no easy game... it's fast, it's physical, there's a lot of stuff happening and you have to carry out your duties well and allow the game to flow... It's not always easy.. everybody going at each other, everybody wants to win."
He said Australians have a great love for netball, which outside of cricket is the biggest team sport in that country and the biggest sport involving women.
"The game is a little more physical there - faster and more dynamic - and so people will go to watch it and there's a better appreciation for the game. They are really passionate about it, " Campbell told the Sunday Observer. The 39-year-old Campbell began his netball career over 20 years ago; first as an umpire, then as coach of a West Kingston-based side before being appointed coach of Tivoli.
Tivoli 'A', which boast national players Kasey Evering and Peter-Gaye Thomas, finished third in the recently concluded Berger Super League and were champions of the JPS Community President's competition.
"I've also liked the West Kingston spirit and I've become a household name in and outside (West Kingston) now ... I think the sport programme is a good one," Campbell said.
"Tivoli is stigmatised because of where it is, so... we don't have that big base to draw from. I think they are the best team, but the best team doesn't always win," he said.
Campbell has also coached club team Omega, plus Heart Trust and JPS to Business House and club league titles.
He thinks Jamaica's senior netballers could have a tough task at hand if they are to maintain or improve their world No 3 ranking at the World Championships in New Zealand from November 10-17.
"I think Australia and New Zealand are mentally tougher and I suspect England have been doing quite a bit of work because they beat New Zealand in their last series (in May).
"The game they played against Australia was very close too, so I think any of those three can win on a given day," Campbell stated.
Jamaica finished fourth at the 2006 Commonwealth Games after losing by a point (52-53) to England in their bronze medal match.
"Jamaica is coming in that second tier so I think we're heading for anything under three. I don't know what Samoa has, but they tend to have a lot of New Zealanders who haven't made that team and Fiji tends to be a bit physical, so I think we could fall anywhere under three," he reiterated.
"The other teams have improved. England's game has really gone up... our standard... we have good players, we just need to develop and show them that if you really put some hard work in it... they'll do well in Auckland...
"As a coach, I've always believed netball was designed for a draw, but in all of this you must be able to pressure and absorb pressure and that level of competitive and high intensity and be able to manage those games," he added.
Fitness is very important to Campbell, who spends time in the gym five days a week. He has a tough stance on other umpires whom he believes are not putting in the requisite amount of work to keep up with the players.
"We are not attracting any new people, but the old ones are rotting," he said. "Umpiring has a real technique to it; it's a journey, not a destination... work in progress, but you have to come, you cannot lag behind and still think there's a place for you."
Campbell also spoke to the fact that there is a serious shortage of umpires and once where there was a problem of quality, there is now an issue of quantity.