The Essendon District Football League is pleased to announce its Umpires and Umpires Association have become a Women and Girls Chartered Club.
The Women and Girls Community Football Charter is a commitment to work towards making Community Football environments welcoming, safe, and inclusive for Women and Girls.
The EDFL had over 100 registered Women and Girls umpires in 2024 which was a significant increase on 2023. There was also a recent Women and Girls program hosted by Ascot Vale Football Club where over 20 umpires attended each session of the four-week program.
With the change to ISC as the official uniform provider for the EDFL Umpires, the EDFL is excited to provide even more specific and comfortable uniform options for Women and Girls Umpires. This will be combined with a trial to change uniform expectations for junior field umpires to a more comfortable and natural approach.
EDFLUA President Ryan Hartwig and EDFL Umpires Coordinator Michael Willcox said the EDFL and EDFLUA are excited to be recognised as a Women and Girls Chartered Club.
"We believe this is a great step in recognising the important role that Women and Girls umpires play in the EDFL," they said.
"It has been great to see the growth and development of female umpiring in the league and what these umpires have brought to the umpiring group.
"We see this as a commitment to continue to build a positive environment for these umpires to flourish and hopefully to recruit, retain, and train more Women and Girls umpires and umpire coaches in the EDFL."
Head here for more information on the Women and Girls Community Football Charter.
