KDNA UMPIRE SQUADS 2026
In 2026, there will be different levels within the Umpiring Squad at KDNA.
Clubs are still encouraged to nominate umpires to be part of the squad, 1 per team from Division 13’s and upwards.
KDNA will continue to allocate umpires to all Games being held on Saturday.
Stages of Squad
personalThe Squad is divided up into different levels and it’s recommended that umpires make themselves aware of the differences, so they are able to progress through the levels. All members of the Squad are encouraged to attempt to obtain a National Umpire Accreditation. Umpire Coaches will be assessing umpires over the season.
Every Umpire will be advised of the Stage of the Squad that they are being selected into.
There will be movement through the stages of the Squad during the Season dependent on performance. The goal is to move from Green Shirt, right through to Academy / Senior Umpire.
Green Shirt Umpires :
This program is for NEW Umpires who are wanting to learn how to umpire.
They will have little or no experience. It’s a program that is aimed at training and developing umpires of all ages towards their National C accreditation – currently a 10 week Program with a fee of $50.
From this season forward, a Green Shirt signifies that an umpire is in their first year of development with none or very limited match-play experience.
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Continuous Learning: All Green Shirt umpires will remain in their Green Shirts for the entire year. This ensures they have the time to build a strong Basic skillset before progressing to a Yellow Shirt and/or further in the Umpiring pathway in the future.
Green Shirt Umpires will wear a Green Umpire Shirt with Black Bottoms. The Shirts will be provided by KDNA and on loan for the year, to be handed back in at the end of the 2026 Season.
The Green Shirt Umpires will be umpiring a range of games throughout Saturdays in the first 3 timeslots and may be both on the bench side (opposite to our Yellow Shirt Umpires), and on the far side of the court whilst developing their skills.
J-UMP Umpires : (Junior Umpiring Squad – Yellow Shirts)
From this season forward, a Yellow Shirt signifies that an umpire is in their second year of development with limited match-play experience.
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Continuous Learning: All Yellow Shirt umpires will remain in their yellow shirts for the entire year. This ensures they have the time to build a strong foundational skillset before progressing to a White Shirt and a National C Badge Umpire.
J-ump Squad Umpires will wear a yellow KDNA Shirt with Black/White Bottoms. The Yellow Shirts will be provided by KDNA and on loans for the season in 2026, with the Umpires from 2027 onwards needing to purchase their own tops.
The J-ump Umpires will be umpiring a range of games throughout Saturdays both on the bench side (opposite to our Green Shirt Umpires), and will be learning how to be the lead umpire, procedures and protocols and their next level responsibilities with having spectators behind them. As well as on the far side of the court as they are extended to more challenging matchplay on different levels of games (hard, easy, higher, busier or body on body).
A Yellow Shirt Umpire indicates that they are still learning and are a 2nd Year Umpire. They deserve the same respect from the players, coaches and spectators, as we’ll strive to teach them the components of umpiring at the next level. An Umpire Coach will still be overseeing these games for guidance and coaching, however, the Umpire is expected to start doing some self analysis and take ownership of their personal development at this stage.
The Umpire will remain in a yellow shirt until they are ready for testing.
Then you will be screened and then tested accordingly. Once you achieve your National C Badge, you are promoted to the Intermediate Squad (White Shirt)
Intermediate Umpires : (White Shirts)
The focus in this stage is to umpire to a C Badge standard every game. Learn more about Game Management and where necessary and introduce these principles to your umpiring.
This squad will be recognised as Umpires who already have their C Badge. There 2 groups of Umpires in this Squad.
1st – The Umpires that are just umpiring on the Saturdays for enjoyment and don’t want to continue and progress their accreditations past a C Badge level.
2nd – C Badged Umpires that are wanting to continue to develop their skills and possibly work towards to the NWA Umpiring Pathway.
Clubs should be aware that there are many different levels within a C Badge!
You can have a young C Badge Umpire who has just received their badge and are still a little shy and inconsistent, who hesitates at some calls, or withdraws when the sideline is loud. This is ok. The first 12 to 18 months after receiving their C Badge they will be consolidating their skills. This may take them longer if and when their umpiring availabilities and skills are limited, but they are still volunteering to umpire your games. Then you have the confident and consolidated C Badged Umpires. These Umpires will be working on their positioning and vision – and for one game they may be great, but then the next game might be more challenging and they may make huge errors. As umpires are challenged with new skills to learn, mistakes often get made, especially when the game is busy and loud.
Emerging Talent Umpires :
This tier will consist of Talent Identified Umpires that are showing extra skills and aptitude for umpiring and show the courage to be extended. The Umpires are Identified by the AUDO and selected Umpire Coaches and will be included in the High Performance KDNA Umpire Squad.
Those Umpires identified show the ability to go further up into the KDNA Umpire Pathway and onto the NWA Pathway.
This stage is for Umpires who are showing a good C Badge consistency. The focus is to start looking off the ball and learning to read the play. There is an expectancy to start developing an understanding of Contact vs Contest and Umpire accordingly. Further knowledge of Game Management is required within this stage, recognizing When and How to apply it initially, followed by being confident enough to apply it more consistently.
Allocation of games may be lower than previously experienced for this stage, due to the requirement of slower games to enable the skill of scanning and getting back to the ball before its released, is the aim to be achieved.
Talent Delevopment Squad Umpires :
This is our High-Performance Squad. This Squad consists of C Badge or B Badge Umpires who have been identified by KDNA Umpire Coaches or by NWA from different opportunities they had in previous years.
This group will be expected to umpire Premier League consistently throughout the season, and/or being allocated to top matches on a Saturday. They will be invited to umpire at Carnival opportunities, and High-Performance Workshops as well as any NWA opportunities as they arise. They are expected to give back to the squad via learning to Umpire Coach or to become a Tester. These two opportunities once they become competent at them, will in turn strengthen their own knowledge, understanding and application to their games.
This stage is for those Umpires who have been showing the skills in looking off the ball and reading play consistently and can now be further challenged on some higher level matchplay.
Umpires will be selected from this stage of the Squad to be put forward for their National B Badges if they have not already achieved this.
Academy Umpires:
These are umpires that are Strong Competent B Badges who are either umpiring on WANL, or have previously Umpired on WANL. These are the umpires that have extensive knowledge and skills and either have been on, or are currently participating on the NWA / WANL Pathway.
Umpires show a consistent ability to look off the ball, read play and position themselves accordingly.
Here, the focus is to develop your scanning to include twelve players in your vision and allow this to dictate your positioning more consistently.
Umpires should aim to be consistent with Game Management and implement it appropriately, This works with the understanding of the Intent Of Players, allowing Game Management to be applied with confidence.
Further development of Contact Vs Contest is also required in this stage.
Senior Umpires / Umpire Coaches :
This consists of Umpires who have already obtained a National C, B or A Level Accreditation. The focus will be on consolidating and maintaining their current Accreditation and being further exposed to opportunities in the National Umpiring Pathway.
Being at this level also includes ‘Giving Back’ to your Umpire Squad and sharing your knowledge with junior umpires. They may be asked to attend training sessions or offer coaching on Fridays/Saturdays.
This group has a lot of Umpires who don’t play anymore and are just umpiring, or are just mainly coaching due to age or injury. These Umpires will still umpire each week in rotation. They have an amazing amount of knowledge and experience to pass along.
Workshops / Camp Days:
The Emerging Talent & Talent Development Squad Umpires will be invited to attend Workshops/Camp Days to discuss more complex applications of the rules throughout the Season.
They will include a General Rules Forum, a Discipline Workshop, Umpire Procedures and Protocols review and understanding how to read play and being consistent. The only Umpires that are excluded from attending the Discipline Workshop, are those that attend one at the State Umpire Squad Level.
Fees:
This is part of the program for the Advance & Senior Umpire Squad and are delivered free of charge.
There is a fee for the Green Shirt program currently set at $50. Please see the link below regarding this program.
https://kalamundanetball.com.au/kdna-green-shirt-program/
Uniform:
Umpiring Uniform Costs are $42 per shirt and $45 per skirt.
Your umpiring shirt (whichever colour it may be) always needs to be visible.
- If you are cold, wear a White, Black, Yellow or Green long sleeve shirt (or 2) underneath.
- If it is raining, you may wear a clear rain jacket or a white Semi-Transparent rain jacket.
Accreditations for Testing Purposes 2026:
Umpires are expected to complete two online requirements;
Foundation Umpire Education Course currently costing $50 or Intermediate Umpire Education Course currently costing $65, at the participants expense.
If a participant has already completed this course in the past 4 years, then you will not be required to complete the course again until after this timeframe has elapsed.
Rules of Netball Theory Examination which currently costs $13.00 at the participants expense.
(Please note the prices of these courses are set by Netball Australia and are subject to change. These are paid directly to Netball Australia when registering for the course in the online learning platform.)
You must then Enrol for the badge of your choosing and submit the document through the learning portal. If you do not enrol correctly, you cannot be badged. Please check with your Testing Co-ordinator or AUDO for any assistance that you may require.
The cost of testing umpires for a National C Badge is $55 per test and National B is $65. This cost is subsidised by the Association, however, the umpire will not be paid for the game they are tested on as a contribution towards testing expenses.