Hannah Swain is a shining star of netball in Aotearoa, for her development as one of the South Island’s most promising game officials, service to the community and the mentoring role she embraces.

Given the exceptionally demanding role of an umpire, Hannah’s unwavering commitment to develop and excel in this area speaks to her self-awareness, dedication and resilience.

We talk to Hannah about where it all began, and her motivation as a game official and mentor.

How did you make the decision to begin volunteering in netball?

It was at the start of the 2018 netball season when I was playing a game of netball that I wondered what it would be like to be on the other side of sport—as an umpire.

Netball has taught me so much: teamwork, resilience, and the importance of staying active. I really wanted to give umpiring a go, and so I did.

I joined the Christchurch Netball Centre (CNC) Whistlers programme, and have ever since become more involved with netball and am continuing my umpire journey.

Ever since 2018, I have progressed through the CNC Whistlers Programme, Centre Panel, and Zone Panel. I have just recently passed my NZ Theory.

It has taken a lot of time and effort to get to where I am today, but it is so worth it. The people I have met and the amazing opportunities I have received have just been outstanding, and I am so grateful. The stories and experiences that others shared with me inspired me to take the leap and get involved in volunteering.

Now, as a Year 13 student, I coach umpires on the CNC panel as well as umpiring for CNC and my school, Marian College. I also help out with all the umpiring at my school. The decision to start volunteering didn’t take much time.

I can remember attending a netball event and seeing the joy and excitement on the faces of the young players. It reminded me of how much I loved the sport and how it has shaped me into the person I am today. I wanted to be a part of creating that same positive experience for others.

What benefits have you seen from netball in your own life?

Volunteering in netball has brought many benefits to my life, enriching both my personal and professional experiences. Some of the key benefits I’ve observed are: learning new leadership skills, boosting my confidence, setting goals, and making friendships.

Learning new leadership skills has made me able to organise sessions, lead a group of people, or mentor young people. This has helped me develop stronger communication skills. Boosting my confidence has encouraged me to take on new challenges, step out of my comfort zone, and see the positive outcomes of my efforts.

I have always battled with my confidence ever since growing up, and umpiring has taught me a whole lot about it. From who I was when I started umpiring as a young 11-year-old to an almost 18-year-old, I have noticed that to be able to umpire and take control of a game, you have got to believe in yourself and back yourself every step of the way, no matter what is happening around you.

I have also learned that goal setting helps me make the right decisions in my everyday life and helps especially with umpiring because I get to set myself short- and long-term goals as well as reflect on each game that I umpire. I saw umpiring as an opportunity to develop new skills and meet like-minded individuals who have similar interests and have a growing passion.

The chance to work with a diverse group of people, from different age groups and backgrounds, was something I found incredibly appealing. I love being able to make friends outside of school because I know they are people I will be friends with for a long time and are currently some of my closest friends.

What is your motivation for keeping your commitment to umpiring?

To ensure I stick to my umpiring and reflect on the passion I have grown for the sport, my motivation comes from my love for the game, personal growth, the skills I’ve learned, the people, and all the opportunities out there.

Netball has always been my favourite sport, whether it’s playing or umpiring. Being on the court, no matter what position, keeps me connected to the sport I love most and allows me to continue to grow. Umpiring will always come with challenges. These challenges encourage me to continuously improve my skills and knowledge of the game and enhance my decision-making abilities. There have been times during my umpiring career where I wanted to give up. I thought I was useless and wasn’t improving, but those are the times where you fight through those negative thoughts and keep pushing through.

I have been coached by some of the best coaches in my umpiring career, and their advice has been absolutely amazing. Having the best support from my family and the teachers at my school has also been a huge influence. When things get tough, I motivate myself by looking back at everything that I have achieved and what the future potentially holds for me. I will never be able to stop umpiring because it’s a passion of mine that I know I do well in, and the people around me are one of the reasons why I would never leave. I am so excited for what the future holds, not only for me but for netball in general, and I am grateful for every moment I’ve spent helping others enjoy the game as much as I have.

What have been your highlights – on and off the court?

My journey through umpiring has been filled with many highlights, both on and off the court. Some of those highlights include my major achievements, mentoring umpires, building strong networks, and personal satisfaction.

When I started umpiring, I could never imagine myself at the age of 17 being at this stage of my umpiring career. It has again taken a lot of time and effort, but I am so happy and so proud of where I am.

My highlight was the Senior South Island Secondary Schools Netball Tournament held in Invercargill last year in September. This was my highlight because this was the last tournament of the season. I was coached by some of the best coaches in New Zealand, was able to watch a New Zealand International Umpire umpire from the sideline, pass my Zone Badge, and get Talent ID’d. Receiving my Zone Badge and getting  talent ID’d were the two goals I set for myself for this tournament.

I wasn’t expecting to get both; I wanted to leave that tournament proud of how I umpired and had taken away so many different learning experiences.

Building strong connections with other umpires, coaches, and players has been an awesome aspect of my career because it gives me a sense of community and support, which has enriched my overall experience. Another highlight is seeing the number of people interested in learning how to umpire. It blows me away, and it makes me so happy that, in the future, netball will be in good hands by the umpires. I can already see the growth and development of these umpires, and it’s definitely a fulfilling aspect of my role.

I wanted to become an umpire coach because I wanted to show people that you can learn so much from different coaches and that it does get scary at times, but it always gets better.

Being a leader at my school, I wanted to train up some girls who are interested in netball to umpire so that when I leave, the girls can continue training up new girls. It has been great to see the interest the girls have in learning to umpire, and it again makes me so happy that more and more people are developing a passion for the other side of sport—umpiring. The passion I have for netball and being an umpire makes every moment worthwhile and exciting to see what the future holds.

Background | Hannah Swain | Umpire, Umpire Coach and Mentor

• The prestigious Netball New Zealand Zone Theory exam tests the umpire's knowledge of the netball rules from the World Netball International Rule Book, and how they are to be applied on the court. This year, while coaching umpires on the Christchurch Netball Centre (CNC) panel as well as umpiring for both CNC and Marian College, Hannah completed her NZ Theory examination, which an extraordinary achievement, at the age of 17. In 2022, Hannah passed her Zone Theory examination.
   
• Hannah was selected to umpire the Senior South Island Secondary Schools Netball Tournament last year, cementing her status amongst NZ’s best emerging game officials.
   
• Hannah set the highest standard by achieving her Zone Badge and being Talent ID’d in this elite environment.
   
• Renowned for her character and integrity, Hannah has a vision to grow a love of the game of netball. Hannah is a role model and mentor. She actively helps grow the capability of Marian College students interested in umpiring. Through Hannah’s leadership and initiative, the school’s netball umpire base will perpetuate across generations.
   
• Hannah’s journey into a highly esteemed volunteer, celebrated umpire and trusted mentor started over six years ago, seeing the excitement of young netball players. “It reminded me of how much I loved the sport, which has shaped me into the person I am today. I wanted to be a part of creating that same positive experience for others.”

Article added: Wednesday 31 July 2024