Ashlein Lyttle became the first ever recipient of the new Rhodes Trophy for Mid Canterbury Netball’s most improved umpire/umpire coach. Photo supplied.It may have been a shorter than usual season, but Mid Canterbury netball umpires have still made the most of every opportunity they’ve been given in 2020.

By the time the winter netball season came to an end, more than 20 Mid Canterbury netball umpires had earned themselves a well-deserved pat on the back, by taking the next step in their umpiring.

It began before a whistle had even been blown.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, Netball New Zealand still ran online theory exams for umpires, and four from Mid Canterbury made the most of that opportunity.

Ashlein Lyttle, Olivia Pearce, and Gianna Butler all sat and passed their Zone Theory, while Willow Diedricks sat and passed her New Zealand Theory.

That was before a centre pass was even thrown, and when the season eventually did get under way, the success kept on coming.

Lyttle well and truly made the most of the Covid-shortened season, by following up her Zone Theory pass, by also passing her Zone Practical, an impressive achievement.

At Centre level, Georgia Blundell, Claudia Thomas, and Jess Bleach all passed their Centre Practical, which saw them all make the step up from umpiring on a Saturday afternoon, to a Thursday night. All three made their Thursday night umpiring debut in the premier 3 grade.

Some of Mid Canterbury’s newest umpires are also rewarded by being presented with a Pre Centre award when they reach a certain level, which indicates they’re heading in the direction of a potential Centre Practical award in the future.

This year, a number of Pre Centres were handed out by Mid Canterbury’s team of umpire coaches and umpire coach assessors, with Malana Ngametua, Natalie Shaw, Bryony Digby, Aimee Cosgrove, Ciara Ross, Juliet Campbell, Bella Casey-Solly, Elyse McCallum, Emily Watson, Leah Reid, Leah Maw, Sabrina Cassineri, Piper O’Malley, Bill’e O’Brien, and Sophie Gibson the recipients.

Lyttle was also the first ever recipient of the new Rhodes Trophy for Mid Canterbury Netball’s most improved umpire/umpire coach.

Georgia Blundell was presented the Leath Cup for an umpire achieving at centre level, while her sister Charlotte Blundell was received the Donalda Mitchell Trophy, awarded to an umpire who regularly umpires at junior level and is always helpful when it comes to filling in and assisting with other duties at junior netball.

The Leech Cup, for a senior umpire achieving at regional and/or NZ level, went to Kevin Opele. He was one of the umpires who controlled this year’s ACL premier 1 final along with Natalie Corbett.

Mid Canterbury Netball centre manager Erin Tasker said each and every one of Mid Canterbury’s umpires should be proud of their achievements this season.

Umpires were a vital part of any game, and Tasker said Mid Canterbury was lucky to have a good core group of umpires, but they could always do with more.

“Many of our umpires are players, too, but that doesn’t have to be the case.

“Take Ashlein’s dad, Heath Lyttle, for example – he was a dad watching his daughter play netball, and now he’s one of our top umpires locally,” Tasker said.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 7 October 2020