The ELF Appoints Women's Umpire Coordinator

01.11.2008

With the rapid growth of lacrosse in Europe and the excitement around the sport we are witnessing at the moment, it is essential to stay focused and ensure that key areas essential to the development of the sport are done properly. One of these areas is women’s umpiring. In order to ensure that this area gets the focus it deserves and needs, the ELF recently decided to create a role who will not only be the single point of contact for umpiring matters in Europe, but also a role that will take on the following tasks:

• Be on top of umpiring challenges and opportunities throughout the continent
• Roll out European and support national umpiring strategies and plans
• Ensure sharing of best practices and lessons learned in relation to umpiring

The ELF has appointed Ann Hutchings as its first ever European Umpire Coordinator. Ann played for England and Great Britain during the 1970s/early 1980s before a knee injury forced an early retirement. She returned to lacrosse in the late 1980s and through the 1990s had several key roles, including England Manager, Chair of England Selection, coach to an England Development Team that toured Japan and for 9 years she coached the British Universities Team. In 1999 she attended her 1st European Championships as an umpire and 3 years later gained her International Rating. She was selected to attend the 2003 U19 World Cup, but due to family commitments she unfortunately had to withdraw. She has continued to umpire at top level and attended the U19 World Cup in Canada in 2007, where she successfully re rated as an International.

Ann's contact email is umpires@europeanlacrosse.org, so if you have any topics to discuss, questions, needs for assistance or any other umpire matters, please don't hesitate to get in touch with Ann.