I’m proud to be a Hockey New Zealand Umpire.

The pressure to live up to the history is a challenge. But also, something we focus on nurturing.

A dig into the truth behind umpiring hockey in New Zealand.

As a young adult, I was a bit of a mess:

• I dropped out of school

• Flunked out on a trade

• Fired from several jobs

But one thing stuck – Refereeing sport.

The Referees' Dilemma

I hear it all the time - “We just want consistency.”

Picture This: Ronaldo dribbles into the penalty area, he goes down easy in a challenge, and the reff calls a penalty.

You Know The Scene…

Coaches, Take Note - Here’s how referees stay confident in the heat of the game.

How to be unshakeably confident in the face of scrutiny.

Confidence isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you earn. For sports referees, it can be life or death.

We interviewed Josh Burt - Current Tournament Director of the Hockey Pro League.

He said something that stuck with me:

“I want umpires to start thinking differently: To focus on what is done well instead of dwelling on the negative.”

An open letter from an average sports official:

I’ve umpired field hockey for 25 years, from grassroots to international level. I’ve also been a sports fan in New Zealand since the mid-90s.

Here’s what I’ve observed:

• Players cross the white line and say things they wouldn’t usually say

• Coaches scream and belittle from the first whistle

• Parents mock and ridicule from the sideline