Almost all of the above is already in place. If umpire you’ll have hot tea’s available back at the club, along with a drink on the house (courtesy of Luton Town HC via the team captain). This year we’ve asked experienced umpires to help coach and support new umpires in their first games. Plus, we’ve put on Umpiring Skills evenings to give everyone a chance to ask about the rules and their interpretations.

We’ll also be recognising umpires more too - watch this space.

What prevents you from umpiring?

We even wanted to know why you don’t currently umpire.

The biggest reason was fear of making mistakes and doing too much because it can be a long day. We hear you, some of you may have families too.

DID YOU KNOW?

Players make by far more mistakes than umpires? Us umpires are also human and can, from time to time, make mistakes too (still not as many as the players). The Men’s 4s are pussycats really, they just get on with the game - ask Siobhan what happened when she umpired her first game.

We’d only ask you to umpire games that were fair to you - i.e. if you play mens 4s to umpire a ladies 2s game, and vice versa. Maybe, a junior game!?

Finally, if we can get 6 new umpires you may only umpire twice, maybe three times a season. Unless you want more games and more cash dollar!