The inaugural Australian Netball Championships will land in Traralgon next week, launching a new-look pathway competition for emerging national talent.
Amanda McLachlan will have the opportunity to showcase her umpiring talent at the tournament after being invited by Netball Australia's Stacey Campton.
"I'm really excited about the experience. To be able to umpire at that higher level of competition and the coaching you get from the umpire coaches as well, different ideas and different techniques to try," Amanda said.
Amanda was invited after a successful year of umpiring in the ACT, particularly umpiring at The Capital Spirit's NSW Origin Energy Premier League home game in June.
"When we had the NSW Premier League in the ACT, I got asked to go and umpire at the 17 & Under AUS camp at the AIS in July. From there I had some coaching from Stacey Campton and Carmel Weatherburn, and by chance an umpire pulled out so I got to stay back and umpire the 19 & Under AUS camp as well," Amanda said.
Off the back of her development from the camps, Amanda was invited to umpire at ANC, rewarded for all of the hard work and dedication she has given to netball over the years.
"I've been driving across to the ACT for the last eight years, and the goal has always been to umpire at the highest level I could possibly do," Amanda said.
"My husband was working in Canberra eight years ago, and I just happened to walk into the ACT Netball Centre in Lyneham and ask if they needed any more umpires.
"From there every fortnight when the kids and I were driving to Canberra to stay with my husband I'd come and umpire as well. After that when my husband moved back to Wagga I continued to umpire in the ACT. The people, the coaching and the level of game was much higher than what we had here in the Riverina."
Amanda says the support from her family and fellow umpires has been tremendous over the years, but it's the support from her parents that has really helped her get this far.
"My mum is probably my biggest supporter, when I was umpiring AMMNA she drove down to Adelaide, and my dad also does some of the late-night drives with me to Canberra," Amanda said.
Netball ACT would like to wish Amanda all the best at the competition.
