Let’s talk commitment.
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In any given sport, for most athletes around the central west region that means training once or twice a week and a game on the weekend which, potentially, they’ll have to travel a little way to get to.
When it comes to Michael Rudd though, commitment takes on a whole new meaning, particularly when you consider he’s not even playing, he’s officiating.
While also umpiring in Orange, for the last four seasons Rudd has been travelling back and forth between Sydney every week to continue his development as a whistle-blower, usually arriving, watching over a game and immediately driving home.
Of course, that takes a toll.
But it all became worth it for Rudd after he achieved the goal he’d been working towards for so long, attaining his Netball Australia A Badge.
“It is a great reward for all the effort I’ve put in,” he smiled.
“You know, I’ve been travelling to Sydney, umpiring, travelling home for a while now. I’ll have a snooze in the car pretty often, they are really huge days.
“But this kind of thing makes it worth it, the A Badge is the third level. This lets me do national tournaments, state-versus-state and that sort of thing all the way up to opens.
I have a snooze in the car pretty often, they are really huge days.
- Michael Rudd
“I started with the [Dooley’s Metro League], I’ve done about three years of that and moved up the [Netball NSW Premier League] this year, I was panelled from that.
“The next two levels are essentially your all Australian badge and then the international level.
“I’m really, really happy with it.
Rudd spoke with the Central Western Daily just moments after being crowned Orange Netball Association’s 2018 umpire of the year, he was presented that award after watching over the division one Toyota Cup decider.
“It’s always nice to win something like that,” he said.
“Being able to continue umpiring here and do a bit of coaching and that sort of thing, basically bring what I’m learning in Sydney back to Orange, it’s a really nice way to give back and I love that.
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“After all, the competition’s never as good if you don’t have the umpires. So building everyone’s skills here is how we get such great days like [last weekend’s grand finals].”
Rudd admits he’s not sure what will come next in his journey.
“To be honest my main goal was the A,” Rudd said.
“I [had] a grand final in the Metro League on Tuesday, so now I’ll have a look, reassess and set some new goals I guess.”
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