Mackenzie Edmonds of Swan Districts Junior Umpires has been selected to umpire an Auskick game at half time of the 2012 AFL Grand Final. Edmonds’ son of Swan District’s former champion player Travis was drawn out of the 9 WAFL metropolitan and regional districts who each nominated their best Green Shirt (first year) umpire.
This competition has been running for many years now thanks to the AFL and includes flights, accommodation and tickets to the game. Since being advised of the news Mackenzie has not yet taken the smile off his face and equally excited was father Travis who gets to accompany Mackenzie to Melbourne.
Mackenzie started umpiring with a friend who was keen to do the umpire pre-season and ever since he got his first pay cheque which included a $100 note he has been hooked. Sav Borg, one of the Swan Districts umpire coaches works with dad Travis and had been onto him to get Mackenzie involved and now that “pestering” as Sav commented has paid off big-time.
Mackenzie has now umpired more than 10 games as well as playing for the Bassendean Junior Football Club. He is really enjoying the experience on umpiring, making new friend’s young and old, working on his knowledge of the game and developing his skills.
When asked about Mackenzie’s umpiring Travis said “It’s good to see him progress from his first game to now. It is also great to see his confidence increasing in making decisions and his overall enjoyment of the game”. Travis also jokingly said that “He needs to stick his arm out more”, referring to his pointing of a mark or free kick and stated “What would an ex-player know anyway”.
Travis, who was featured in last week’s WAFL Budget in the WAFL’s best players over the past 25 years, really needs no introduction as a champion of the Swan Districts Football Club and WA Football. With 262 WAFL games, 4 state games, 5 Club Best and Fairest’ s and 1 game for the Fremantle Dockers his career was outstanding. He is also the 2012 Swan Districts ball legend.
Mackenzie will no doubt hope to follow in dad’s footsteps but with another string to his bow now in umpiring if not as a player it may instead be with the whistle in hand.
