UMPIRING RECRUITMENT & DEVELOPMENT OFFICER APPOINTED

We have taken big steps to make sure the VAFA is at the forefront of recruiting the best available talent of umpires available by appointing a Recruitment & Development Officer to attract the umpires that we require to service our matches on a regular basis.
Mr Graham Thwaites has been appointed to take on this challenging role and will primarily work with 5 junior umpiring groups within the Southern & Eastern areas; Yarra, Dandenong, Franskston, Waverley & the Moorabbin Saints Juniors.  These 5 junior umpiring groups are all independent of any senior umpiring affiliation and we are looking to offer a link to these junior umpires as part of their career path into umpiring senior football. 
Graham Thwaites is a former VAFA umpire with 14 years of experience as a Field Umpire and after a major injury also umpired for a few years as a Boundary Umpire and has umpired over 260 VAFA matches including many finals.
Graham has also been involved with Moorabin Saints Junior Football League as an assistant umpires coach for a number of years and headed up the fitness training for the umpires which highlighted Graham’s range of skills and expertise over a long period of time.
We all wish Graham the very best as he embarks on this very important role which will enable the VAFA in it’s continued growth, to recruit and in turn provide umpires in all disciplines to every game of amateur football.

This graph highlights the amount of growth required to service the VAFA competition over the next few years.