It’s an old adage, but where would sport (at any level) be without the dedication of officials who administer its rules?
Netball is no different. As the most widely played team sport in the country, and one of the most popular around the word, you don’t get that sort of reach without clearly defined “dos and don’ts” on the court.
Tayla Favell’s story, like so many umpires in Australian netball, is a simple but poignant narrative. From early days at her local Association (Baulkham Hills), where she started running the lines before she was a teenager, she now hopes to officiate at the highest level of the game.
However, if she didn’t get that initial encouragement at Baulkham Hills, she might never have gotten to where she is today.
“I first started to umpire when I was 12 years old,” she says.
“I began by umpiring club and rep carnivals before I moved into the Netball NSW pathway of State League (now Metro League) and then Premier League. I attended National School Girls and several 17/19U Nationals before moving into the Netball Australia pathway of ANL and then Super Netball.”
Despite her rapid rise, seeing fellow officials from Baulkham Hills achieve their goals is what still brings her the most joy from the game.
“I come from a tight-knit association, who are very supportive of everyone’s umpiring journeys,” Favell adds.
“I believe as a result of this I would have to say the highlight was being on the other side of a game where a fellow Baulkham Hills umpire was awarded their National A Badge.”
This season Favell has been part of the Super Netball High Performance Umpire squad. Having umpired her first Origin Energy Premier League game in 2016, it’s been an upward trajectory since.
“I have been umpiring Premier League since it started in 2016… and in order to be able to do this consistently, I’ve been selected in the Tier 1 program each year.”
Of the Super Netball High Performance program, she said:
“Up until the season was interrupted by Covid I was absolutely loving being able to officiate some of the best netball games in our country and some would argue the world. Being a part of the HP Squad is such an honour and I feel extremely privileged to selected in this group.
“To be surrounded by coaches and umpires who you have grown up admiring is such a surreal feeling.”
The COVID-19 lockdown in Greater Sydney is an impediment to umpire education but, as Favell points out, where there’s a will there’s a way.
“The Netball NSW National A group have been continuing our professional development every few weeks,” she says.
“This has meant participating in Zoom sessions where we discuss different scenarios that we have experienced on a game and therefore breaking down the rule and process.
“It has been awesome to be able to still connect with everyone we would normally see on a Wednesday night (for Premier League). In addition to this SSN umpires have been meeting every few weeks throughout the season to stay connected as well.”
Favell balances her umpiring with a teaching career. It’s a huge amount to take on but she has a great support network around her.
“Being a teacher I feel that I am automatically an organised person, but adding in the regular travel on weekends meant that my organisation skills felt like were on steroids,” she jokes.
“It is quite difficult to manage teaching full time and supervising a stage, to then not only be physically but mentally prepared for the game on the weekend, to then back it up in the classroom on Monday.
“My family, friends and netball family are very supportive throughout the SSN season and this does make it easier. In saying this, the hard work certainly makes it all worthwhile, because as a result I’m able to be living out my dream.
“Netball and teaching certainly does take up a lot of my time. But when I do get the chance to have a minute to myself, I love spending time with my family and friends. They are very important to me and without them I wouldn’t be able to do what I do.”
Just like the game’s top players and coaches, it takes a village to support the nation’s best umpires. And Favell is well on her way to becoming one of them.
