THREE-and-a-half years ago, the Observer related the story of Shaneil May, who became the country’s youngest netball official at the age of 13.

May, who is currently being graded for her ‘B’ Level umpiring certificate, will soon have lots of company in her age group as the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) seeks to enhance its junior umpires programme.

Ten girls, all selected from the Scotiabank Under-13 Development Camp, recently graduated after completing the theoretic examination and will soon move on to the practical test, according to programme manager Joy Watson.

Watson told the Observer the youngsters were chosen from members of the Development Squad who did not go on to be regular players.

“A lot of them wanted to be umpires,” Watson explained. “You need to grow the sport and if you don’t involve the little ones, you won’t have anyone to grow it,” she asserted.

The junior umpires were part of a workshop conducted by a visiting contingent of players and officials from Birmingham recently, and lower sixthform student at Ardenne High Danae Phillips was considered one of the most outstanding officials among the trainees.

The 18-year-old began the programme just under two years ago and told the Observer that training to become an umpire was not initially on her radar, but it was an opportunity she could not turn down.

“Seeing that I was provided with the opportunity I didn’t really turn away from it because it’s always good to have some other skill or area that you’re good at,” she said.

Phillips also plays the sport and is in fact captain of her school’s senior team. She has played the game since her first year of high school and became captain at the start of her first year of sixth form.

Umpiring training matches for the Under-13 squad, examining the rules, scoring and time-keeping are all elements of the certification programme.

“Training was good. We learnt a lot,” Phillips said.

Being trained as an official has also meant she brings extra value to the Ardenne fraternity.

“Because they’re training for the under-14 competition that comes up in May, my coach will ask me sometimes to umpire practice matches that they have,” Phillips said. When it’s our season, I just focus on training.”

Phillips, who has nine subjects at CSEC level, will be doing the first year’s examinations of four CAPE subjects at the end of this academic year.

She says being a player is quite different from being an official.

“When you’re playing you really don’t realise what you’re doing; you just go through and depend on the umpire to make the calls for you, but when you’re umpiring you have to look and be attentive as to what’s going on, on the court,” she stated.

Phillips told the Observer being on the other side has taught her a new respect for the officials on court.

“I don’t really bash the umpire so much,” Phillips said.

“We always tend to complain and say the umpires are making stupid calls, but they’re able to see a lot that we’re not able to see. So even though I might disagree, I won’t express my disagreement with the umpires. I might have it in my head, but I won’t chastise them as many people in the crowd would have,” she said.