Tania Rule. Photo supplied.Countless trips up the road have paid dividends for Mid Canterbury’s Tania Rule.

The Ashburton bench official has secured a national bench qualification after a period of crunching numbers and jotting stats in Christchurch’s premier competition for the past few years.

Her officiating duties have led her to travel north up to three times a week for various games.

Daughter Sophie has also been playing in Christchurch over the past two years, which made the long haul netball transits even more justified.

“I’m always up there on a Saturday anyway,” Rule said.

The latest qualification allows her to officiate national netball tournaments alongside ANZ Premiership and Beko League games.

Although she had benched Beko games in the past, she was relishing the prospect of travelling to other tournaments beyond the Mainland.

“Was I nervous before my first Beko game? Hell yes.

“I turned up two and a half hours before it started.

“But I did it and it was a total buzz.”

Although Covid had dashed any hopes of further Beko experience, she has her sights set on other event landmarks.

“My main aim probably is to go to the New Zealand Secondary Schools”.

A major incentive for Rule in moving up the bench official pecking order was seeing unfamiliar players in action and working alongside new people.

“That’s when you get to see other schools and other clubs play,” she said.

“It’s quite nice to do a bench for clubs that you don’t know.”

She credited Mid Canterbury netball stalwart Gail Benseman, who has served as a bench official trainer, as her biggest influence throughout her officiating stint.

“She was the one who first started going to Christchurch and was the one who got it all started.

“Now she’s got a new batch of people coming through, so its like a cycle.”

The prospect of getting on the telly during big time netball coverage however counted for little in her drive towards her latest milestone.

“I don’t really care if I don’t get a televised game,” she said.

“It gives me a chance to go to further tournaments and get the exposure to those higher games.”

There are numerous duties for bench officials, including maintaining scoresheets, timekeeping and other player statistics.

However for Rule, it is very much a labour of love.

“It is another way of looking at a game that you’re interested in.”

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 19 September 2020