Simmonds makes WAFL umpiring history Thursday, August 15, 2019 - 11:29 AM

Western Australian football history will be made this weekend when Gabby Simmonds becomes the first female field umpire to officiate a WAFL league fixture.

But Simmonds won’t be alone at Leederville Oval on Friday night, with Chloe Wright set to join her, making her debut as a goal umpire.

The duo will become the first pair of women to umpire a league game, taking an important step forward for WA umpiring.

Wright’s journey to her debut has been a unique one, owing plenty to her sister Danielle for the opportunity to umpire in a local game. 

“I started goal umpiring because my sister decided to begin playing football and her team required a goal umpire,” Wright said. “I decided I’d just give it a go and surprisingly ended up enjoying it.”

“I owe a lot to her.”

Simmonds’ tale to umpiring began early in her career, taking up the profession as a way to stay within football.

“I got into umpiring as a way to keep involved in the game after playing Auskick when I was younger,” she said.

“There weren’t any junior girls’ teams in my area, so I decided to give umpiring a go.”

The girls will have their work cut out for the crunch clash between West Coast and East Perth, as they look to encourage more females to take up the rewarding experiencing that is WAFL umpiring.

“There is a strong pathway for females now in umpiring across all the disciplines,” Simmonds claimed.

“The opportunities that are available are constantly growing and growth of the female football has added to that. The group in the WAFL is very diverse and the number of females involved now shows there is definitely opportunity for females to reach their full potential.”

It comes as no surprise that both women look up to umpires within the AFL system, pinpointing a pair of leading ladies in green. 

“There are many umpires that I admire and respect for different parts of their umpiring. Dean Margetts for his genuine passion for umpiring, Jeff Dalgleish for his professionalism,” Simmonds said.

“But I also admire Sally Boud and Eleni Glouftsis for their determination and dedication to achieve what they have at the highest level.”

Sally Boud, for sure,” Wright added. Just the way she goes about umpiring, both on field and off field is so inspirational to me and to anyone who is an umpire. She's certainly someone I look up to.”

WAFL & Talent Pathway Umpire Specialist Dean Margetts couldn’t be prouder of the two ladies, claiming their dedication to umpiring is second to none. 
“They’re both extremely committed to their craft and go about their business with a minimum of fuss,” he said.

“Both ladies also embody the environment and standards we have at Umpiring WA, their character is of the highest order.”