TNC Umpire Qualifications - What's Your Next Step

The Tauranga Netball Centre - Umpires' Pathway

At the Tauranga Netball Centre our “Umpires Pathway” is

Futureferns Whistlers (FFW) Certificate - Year 5 Competition Umpires only
Learn to Umpire (LTU) Certificate - Year 6 competition games
TNC Junior Badge Theory
TNC Junior Badge
NNZ Learning to Umpire Module (previously Centre Theory)
NNZ Centre Award.
NNZ Zone Theory
NNZ Zone Award
NNZ NZ Theory
NNZ NZ C Award
NNZ NZ B – NNZ Umpire Panel
NNZ NZ A – NNZ Umpire Panel

At each step of the Umpires Pathway, the Umpire has to be assessed and reindorsed every 4 years to keep their qualification current. All Theory exams will expire after a period of 6 years, if a practical qualification is not kept current the Umpire will become non-current.

Futureferns Whistlers (FFW) Certificate

This umpire qualification is for umpires who are umpiring the Year 5 competition at Tauranga Netball Centre and has its own workshop to attend. In this competition we play the 6 x 6 Futureferns rules, which are modified for players learning to play, and is the 1^st year they get umpire controlling their games. Umpires will learn the basic rules, the format for the 6 x 6 game, and the basic techniques to help them apply the rules better.

Umpires who attend this workshop will be allocated to games in the Year 5 competition games, and will be helped to develop their skills by our LTU Umpire Group Coaches.

Learn to Umpire (LTU) Certificate

The Learn to Umpire (LTU) Certificate is for our beginner umpires who umpire the Year 6 competition games, which at Tauranga Netball Centre, play the 7 x 7 game format. These umpires are supported and developed to be able to demonstrate and understand a set of basic rules and techniques by our LTU Umpires Group Coaches.

Umpires for the Year 6 competition will find need to contact their local primary schools and find a team to umpire.

TNC Junior Badge- new qualification

We are excited to announce this new umpire qualification that will be positioned between our LTU Certificate and the NNZ Centre Award.

This new qualification aims to strengthen umpires' skills before they progress toward their Centre Awards, ultimately fostering more proficient NNZ Centre Award Umpires. Additionally, we will acknowledge umpires who have not yet reached the Centre Award level, providing them with recognition for achieving the status of a Junior Umpire.

The 1st step for this qualification will be to complete an exam, which will be available on our website soon.

The 2nd step is about developing some basic umpiring skills on the court, to assist you with this our Centre Umpire Coaches will view your games and discuss with you the techniques to help you to recognise simple infringements and how to apply the rules on your games.

NNZ Centre Award

The Centre Award consists of two steps.

The 1st step is passing the Online Learning to Umpire Module which the umpire must have an 85% or higher pass rate and is a prerequisite for the practical part of the Centre Award.

The 2nd step is about developing your umpiring skills on the court, to assist you with this our Centre Umpire Coaches will view your games and discuss with you the techniques to help you to recognise infringements and how to apply the rules on your games.

Once you are umpiring as per the KPI’s required of a Centre Umpire (see Downloads – Key Performance Indicators) you will be screened then assessed by our Umpire Coaches and Assessors and if successful will receive NNZ Centre Award qualification and a TNC Centre badge, and TNC Centre Umpires shirt.

NNZ Zone Award

The prerequisite for the Zone Award is to hold your Centre Award, and this award also consists of two steps.

The 1^st step is to sit and successfully pass the Zone Theory Exam. This exam is held twice a year on preset dates. To be successful you must get an 85% of above pass rate. Tutoring is available to help you to study your rule book and learn all the rules of netball and understand their applications on the court.

The 2^nd step is about developing a better understanding of the techniques you need to display in your game so that you are able to recognise more challenging infringements and have a better understanding of the applications of the rules of netball. Your Zone Umpire Coaches will view your games and will be able to assist you to identify how you can work towards umpiring as per the KPI’s required of a Zone Umpire (see downloads – Key Performance Indicators).

NNZ NZ C Award

The prerequisite for the NZ C Award is to hold your Zone Award, and this award also consists of two steps.

The 1^st step is to sit and successfully pass the NZ Theory Exam. This exam is held twice a year on preset dates. To be successful you must get an 85% of above pass rate. Tutoring is available to help you to study your rule book and learn all the rules of netball and understand their applications on the court.

The 2^nd step is about developing a greater understanding of the techniques you need to display in your game so that you are able to recognise more complex infringements and have an advanced understanding of the applications of the rules of netball. Your NZ Umpire Coaches will view your games and will be able to assist you to identify how you can work towards umpiring as per the KPI’s required of a NZ Umpire (see downloads – Key Performance Indicators).