It’s been five years since Mustafa Ilanbey wandered into an EDFL umpiring academy at Jacana, the beginning of an exciting journey as an EDFL goal umpire.
He isn’t just any EDFL goal umpire, he is the dedicated Oak Park Under 18.5 goal umpire for all their home games at the request of the club.
Mustafa has some inabilities which affects some of his movements in the goals, but his enthusiasm is as strong as they come, a big reason why Oak Park get him back to JP Fawkner Reserve at any opportunity they can.
Tullamarine were the first to ensure he had guaranteed games, but when they couldn’t field an Under 18.5s side, the Kangaroos were eager to acquire his services.
"Mustafa very quickly slotted in nicely with the U18.5 boys getting around him and the club officially making Mustafa an honorary member of the Oak Park FC, presenting him with an Oak Park polo and hoodie," says Oak Park Secretary Pauline Strkalj.
"On game day, Mustafa conducts himself with the utmost dedication and the smile on his face during his goal umpiring stint is priceless.
"I work in a special needs environment, and it is heart-warming to see Mustafa along with his support person Dave, given the opportunity to pursue goal umpiring which builds his confidence and happiness by being involved in the EDFL football community and makes an overall difference in his life.""
EDFL Umpires Association Secretary David Peers spends his Saturday mornings shadowing Mustafa to assist with accuracy, but explains his proficiency and independence has grown from around 50 per cent, to around 90 per cent as he enters his sixth season.
“(His improvement has come from) watching and working with the umpires, doing drills at training, and he’s just gradually picked it up from a mental standpoint, to now a physical, he can do both,” David says.
Before a game David will go into the rooms and explain to the players Mustafa’s situation, outlining why David will be a third goal umpire, and to show Mustafa the same respect as he’ll show you.
David explains that there hasn’t been any problems as players have responded to Mustafa so warmly, a huge credit to all involved considering the tempers that can flare in that age group on field.
“Quite a few of them actually come up and shake his hand as he’s walking up to wave the flags off, there’s no animosity.
“In the last game, he went to give a goal that was over the post, I said, ‘Mustafa that’s a point’, so he made the change and a player said, ‘He’s just given that a goal!’ But he quickly understood and moved on.”
During a game, David will mark spots to stand on the ground with some spray paint to assist Mustafa in certain situations so he doesn’t get bowled over (hasn’t happened yet!), and assist his partner up the other end.
“His only problem,” David explains, “is that he gets so excited that he gives his decision before the field umpire can actually give him the call clear!
“His energy is so infectious, when he showed up in his full uniform, we had to tell him to keep that for the weekend,” David recalls with a laugh.
His energy extends far beyond his on field work with the entire umpiring fraternity being such a positive and welcoming environment for Mustafa, they celebrated his birthday a couple of years ago with a cake and a framed goal umpires panel photo.
While he won’t be in the country for his birthday this year, he’ll no doubt be in the thoughts of everyone he’s had an impact on from the umpires, to the clubs that have been lucky enough to have had Mustafa standing in the goals.
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