HALLS HEAD hockey umpire Zoe Nicol received a grant from Member for Canning Don Randall to further her umpiring journey.
The $500 Australian Governments Local Sporting Champions grant will help the 18-year-old cover the cost of travelling to Perth to umpire as well as uniforms.
Nicol said she was extremely thankful that she was selected for the grant.
“I was told I was the first umpire to receive the grant,” she said.
“There’s a small chance a player would get the grant so I was really happy.”
Nicol has been playing hockey since she was eight years old but took up umpiring four years ago.
Nicol said she saw the need for umpires and wanted to give back to the hockey community.
“I started umpiring in the competition I played in,” she said.
It wasn't long before Nicol was being recognised for her umpiring talents with the talented youngster winning the 2011, 2012 and 2013 Junior Umpire of the Year award for the Peel Hockey Association.
“I didn’t think umpires got much recognition,” she said.
“I’m a better umpire than I was a player.
“I’ve stopped trying out for state teams now, I did fill in a few times for my local team this year.”
In 2013 Nicol was asked by Hockey WA to join its junior elite umpiring program.
Nicol, with the help of her mum, travelled to Perth every weekend during 2013 to umpire under 15s girls and boys games.
The same year Nicol was also selected to umpire the National girl’s competition in Busselton as well as the Women’s Promotional 1 and Women’s Premier 2 League games including the Promotional 1 grand final in the Perth Metropolitan Competition.
She also received the Alex Brazier Cup as the most outstanding junior umpire for Hockey WA..
“I umpired the second highest women’s grand final in the Perth competition and was the junior umpire of the year,” Nicol said.
This year Nicol travelled to Tasmania to umpire the under 15 girl’s national championships.
Nicol said she enjoy umpiring because she can have control over the game.
“I can have management over the game and make it adapt,” she said.
“I have a good repertoire with the girls I umpire.
“It keeps me fit as well.”
Nicol said her goal would be to umpire the Australian Hockey League which would lead to umpiring the World championship and then the Olympics.
“Hopefully I can get there one day,” she said.
Nicol will finish the year off by gaining valuable experience while umpiring two practice matches between the Women’s Hockeyroos squad and a mix of WA State U/18 boys players in Perth later this month.
