Top Bench Official Julie Erskine speaks about her experience as a Bench Official....

Back in the mid eighties a fellow umpire suggested I might like to give it a go.  National Tournament was in Invercargill and they were asking for Scorers to help out.  I did and all I can remember was it poured the whole time and we sat in little tin sheds and froze.  The next event was in Dunedin and a friend suggested we should go so off we went.  The weather was much kinder and some of the Tournament was indoors after that I was hooked.  Started to go to tournaments regularly and still am.

After a few years I took over the local co-ordinating for Bench Officials and then the Regional co-ordinating over 10 years ago.  I have a great team in Southland and I find it challenging to ensure I keep a high standard of Bench Officials.  Because I have a passion for Netball it comes out when I talk with people and encourages them to give it a try also.

What is it that you enjoy most about being a Bench Official?

Its a good way to meet people and hear their stories and share experiences.  Some are hilarious and the missing/traveliing Gnome one year was a real giggle.   I love the challenge to be the best I can and love to share my knowledge and to support those I am on a Bench with.  Its a great feeling to see those you train go on to achieve National Level.

Most memorable experience?

Without a doubt 2011 Netball World Champs in Singapore.  Getting appointed to represent NZ as a Bench Official was amazing and to be selected for the finals bench I will never forget.  So many people from home said they jumped up and down when they got a glimpse of someone they knew personally on the TV and my family was so proud of me - my mum still gets teary about it. Not in my wildest dreams when I started this did I know you could go so far.   The Bench Officials from other countries I meet and worked with were incrediable - we all did some things differently yet all were on the same page for this, it was awesome.  It was a very humbling experience.

Why would you recommend people become Bench Officials?

Its a great opportunity to travel, to meet and mix with like minded netball nutters.  Always have a front row seat to the game. I've never been to a Tournament that I have wished I hadn't gone to. Everyone is really friendly and make you feel welcome and give you lots of tips of places to visit and see while you are in there.  I have made many friends and visited some great places.

What is it about Netball that makes it special for you?

The opportunities!  When I first got hooked on netball 40+ years ago as a player I wanted to be a Silver Fern - Yvonne Willering was my idol. At 21 I was a good player but knew I wasn't good enough to reach that goal, so inspired by Colleen Bond I took up umpiring, my goal changed to represent NZ in netball as an umpire. Got to Regional and family commitments started so out the window went that goal.  I had alwasys been Coaching during this period and had progressed to Coahing at National level so thought I could do it in Coaching but took a personal knock back in 1995 and never fully recovered from it.  I thought then - that's it, I'll never reach my goal to represent NZ in netball.  Who would have thought 16 years later I would do it as a Bench Official?  Incidently I still Coach and Umpire but as of 2012 I have retired from playing not because I want to but the body has been telling me for years I need to and I'm finally listening.

Netball has kept me active and I love it and with the support of my family, I give back what I can to the sport that's given me so much.