Cricket umpire Claire Polosak has officiated on the state, national and international stage but will be back at the grassroots level next month, stopping in at Dubbo to help inspire the next crop of umpires.
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There’s a chance she’ll come to Orange to do the same too.
Polosak will lead the Cricket Australia Community Officiating course in Dubbo on December 19, with Orange District Cricket Association and the city’s junior equivalent hoping to find enough interested umpires to run a similar course in the colour city.
The course costs $40 for males and is free for females.
Polosak said the fee structure was to encourage females to get involved.
“There’s not the awareness females can be umpires. Even if you look at local junior cricket, dads are usually on the field and mums are doing the scoring,” Polosak said.
“We’re working to get more females involved. CA [Cricket Australia] are pushing it.
“There’s a pathway and a career opportunity for females to be umpires.”
Polosak is one woman who has thrived in the umpiring world.
Not only is Polosak Cricket NSW's female umpire engagement officer, she was the first woman to umpire an Australian men's List A cricket match in the domestic one-day cup competition and has also officiated women’s international matches.
She can’t speak highly enough of her role on the field.
“If you love cricket, it is the best place to watch from. It might sound like a cliche but it’s true,” she said.
Anyone looking for more information on Dubbo’s umpiring course can contact Polosak at Claire.Polosak@cricketnsw.com.au. Anyone interested in an Orange edition can contact either the ODCA or the ODJCA.