• To ensure that you are appropriately qualified to umpire the game
• To ensure you carry an up to date rule book
• To ensure you have a whistle, time piece, pen/pencil and paper
• To ensure both teams are checked for long finger nails, ensuring that nails are short and smooth
• To ensure any jewellery, body piercing or hair adornments are removed with the exception of a plain wedding ring that should be taped
• To ensure all long loose hair is tied back appropriately
• To ensure the ‘toss’ has been taken and the first centre pass has been decided
• To receive the score card with team names completed, before the start of the game
• To ensure there is a time-keeper and person to score if appropriate
• To ensure the court is fit for play and the surrounding area is clear
• To ensure all the teams are wearing the correct playing gear, bibs or position patches and team colours in accordance to Club, League and EN rules
• To ensure that all players are wearing sensible, appropriate footwear
• To ensure all games start on time – 7.00pm and 8.15pm
• To allow for injury time and any other stoppages, ensuring the time-keeper has accounted for the stoppage
• To ensure the game is umpired fairly and clearly and any incidents are dealt with at the appropriate time (this may mean at the end of a quarter rather than stopping the game)
• To ensure any injury is suitably dealt with and any blood injury has been cleaned and dressed before the player returns to the court
• To ensure all players conduct themselves in a manner conducive to good netball practice
• To confer with the other umpire and agree the score on a regular basis
• To ensure the score cards are correctly completed and handed to the captain at the end of the match
• To work with the other umpire to make the match enjoyable for all

All umpires should ensure that they keep updated with any changes of rules or recommendations as made by EN or the local league.

Intermediate (B Award equivalent)
If an Intermediate wishes to continue to umpire, then providing they are assessed and passed by a C Award tester or above they will be downgraded to a C Award. A C Award card will be issued to the umpire on receipt of their name being supplied to EN. (Testers, these umpires need to meet the current standards of a C Award.  Please note they do not have completed a written paper. Once assessed please let me have their details and results).

If the umpire then wishes to obtain the B Award qualification they will have to pass the B assessment first and then apply for their B test as current C Awards do.

Preliminary (C Award equivalent)
A preliminary can be downgraded to a Beginner Award providing the league they umpire in recognises this award, however this Beginners Award will only be valid for 2 years. If after this time they have not attended a county run C award course, applied for their C award test and passed they will no longer be permitted to umpire if the level they officiate at requires an EN qualification.

If the league does not recognise the Beginner Award and an EN qualification is required to umpire they may not umpire until they have passed their C Award test.

Please note the prelim cannot start as a new Beginner (i.e they cannot hold the award for 8 years - 2 x 4 years). It will be the responsibility of the league to keep records of the 2 year expiry date.

General Rules for umpires and player
Footwork - free pass
Offside – on court out of area /breaking at the centre pass – free pass
Out of court – ball played lands out of court – free pass
Held ball – ball held more than 3 seconds – free pass
Over a third – ball thrown and not received over a third of the court – free pass
Centre Pass – Pass not received in centre third – free pass
Ball handling – replayed, double bounce, short pass – free pass
Obstruction – obstructing within 0.9ft of distance to player with the ball – penalty pass/shot
Contact – contact of another player with or without the ball – penalty pass/shot
Simultaneous offence – toss up

How to start Umpiring

Beginners Umpiring award (Junior and local league) – apply to Tonbridge netball league. A practical test will be required where you will umpire a game with an assessor/tester. A written exam of 50 questions (yes or no answers). A pass of 40 and above will be required.

• Penalizing correctly obvious infringements of the rules correct use of voice, whistle and terminology.
• Positioning correctly
• Ability to keep a score card and to call the score and center pass
• The beginners umpiring award is valid for 4 years and during this time you should progress to a C award.  If you choose not to you can retake your beginner’s award but after another 4 years your award is no longer valid.

C grade umpiring award (Club level) – Direct with county league (application forms available through Tonbridge league). C umpiring courses available (shown on Tonbridge netball League website). A minimum of 30 minutes practical test. Written exam of 20 questions (yes or no answers). A pass of 17 or above required.

• Penalizing correctly obvious infringements of the rules.
• Position and move yourself correctly
• Ability to keep a score card and to call the score and center pass
• Have appropriate appearance and manner
• Have correct use of your whistle, voice and terminology

If you pass you will be registered in the England netball of C umpires with a certificate and badge. If you pass the practical but fail the written you must retake within 4 weeks to avoid further costs. If you pass the written (which is valid for 12 months you can retake the practical after 3 months).

B Grade umpiring award (County level) – Direct with county league (application forms available through Tonbridge netball league). B umpiring courses are available (shown on Tonbridge league website). A minimum of 48 minutes practical exam . Oral exam from 10 questions. A pass of 7 and above required.

• Control a high proportion of faults that occur in your obvious line of vision and demonstrate some ability to see and control faults.
• Play an advantage game
• Evidence of sufficient fitness
• Use accurate terminology, effective communication and wise movement.
• You may provide your own scorers and in the event that one umpire does not wish to have scorers both umpires will keep score

If you pass you will be registered in the England netball of B umpires with a certificate and badge. If you pass the practical but fail the written you must retake within 6 weeks to avoid further costs. If you pass the written (which is valid for 12 months you can retake the practical after 3 months).

As a B award umpire you are eligible to –

• Become a tutor enabling you to aid in training courses.
• Become a tester for C and B awards

A Grade Umpiring award (National level) - Direct with county league (9 weeks before set test dates). 3 hour test paper. Practical exam at high level county/national level for a minimum of 1 hour. One year’s minimum experience umpiring at county and one year since passing B grade (evidence of 8 games recorded). Officiated at an England netball tournament.

• Practical umpiring ability
• Answering oral questions

If you pass you will be registered in the England netball of A umpires with a certificate and badge. Written test (which is valid for 4 years). Once awarded you must be reassessed every 4 years.