Sasha McLeod, an ANZ Premiership umpire since 2018, was one of five Kiwi umpires called up for last month’s Netball Youth World Cup in the fascinating venue of Gibraltar.
McLeod, who’s also officiated at two Fast5 world series, Commonwealth Youth Games and Pacific Series, says the world cup was a "wonderful" experience, especially handling "different styles of play".
"There was certainly more game management than you would normally get, there was a little bit more reckless behaviour than perhaps the older heads would [get up to]."
Formerly a competitor on the orienteering world cup circuit, McLeod got into umpiring after blowing the whistle in a local club game — "each team has to do their own umpiring" — and being spotted by a former Aussie international umpire Paula Ferguson, who was then living in Queenstown.
The latter recommended her to ex-Kiwi international umpire, Invercargill’s Colleen Bond, who’s since become her mentor.
She’s subsequently obtained her international badge and admits "I feel pretty happy with what I’ve achieved in the time I’ve had".
Now in her early 50s, she’d still like to umpire a full international.
"There’s a few people in front of me who’ve had their badge for a wee bit longer than I have, so, you know, just have to bide your time."
With the sport now fully professional and players fitter and stronger than ever — "I’m in awe sometimes of the players and how they can play" — McLeod says "we have to increase our physicality like in terms of the speed we’ve got to be moving and the way we use our vision and stuff".
"Sprint training has been a major part of my training for the last few years because, literally, umpiring is like doing an hour of interval training."
Somewhat awkwardly, you’ve also got to keep your shoulders open to the court, she adds.
Apart from fitness tests, her performances are also reviewed after each game, and she has her own individual coach.
McLeod says there’s no such thing as the perfect game — "netball’s just far too dynamic a game, you’ve got so many moving bodies your vision is going to be compromised" — however you do "hopefully" learn from mistakes.
In terms of making decisions on the run, and the fitness requirements, she notes there are definitely similarities with orienteering.
Despite her high-level opportunities, McLeod says she’s still happy umpiring local Thursday night netball and coaching junior umpires.
As to what the buzz is, "it’s just being able to be a part of the spectacle and knowing you are contributing".
"Everyone wants to watch a good game of netball, and if you are umpiring well you are helping it to be a good game of netball."
