Dedication pays off for committed netball umpire

Her decision to remain associated with netball after her playing days ended continues to pay off handsomely for top umpire Michelle Stagg.

The 47-year-old Blenheim police sergeant is now a regular on the national netball scene, umpiring eight ANZ premiership matches this season, involving the country’s top players.

For nearly four decades Michelle has been involved in the game she loves.

From a fledgling Riverlands primary school netballer, to an accomplished senior player, then an umpire policing the sidelines in televised tussles, she has travelled the course.

After stints as a doughty defender with Christchurch’s Technical club while at university, then Marlborough’s champion Harlequins premier combination, she eased back on her playing commitments and took up the whistle in 2007.

“I was definitely at the end of my playing career when I started umpiring. It was because I really enjoyed netball and also liked coaching,” said Michelle.

“As a player, let’s say I liked to help the umpires quite a lot, so I decided to put my money where my mouth was and take up umpiring.”

There was an immediate attraction to officiating.

“I enjoyed umpiring from the start … and I was lucky that I progressed quite quickly which gave me encouragement. Suddenly I could see what was out there, in terms of umpiring, and that there is a pathway. It just opened up a while new netball world for me.”

However, there was plenty of work involved in getting to grips with the intricacies of umpiring.

“You only realised how little you knew about how to umpire when someone started coaching you. There is so much to umpiring that players don’t even think about.”

She is grateful for the help of local umpiring coach Jan Gallop who mentored her through her formative years.

“She had such a great knowledge base that I was able to learn off.”

Michelle’s ascent was rapid, earning her zone badge in 2009 and New Zealand badge in 2010, meaning she was in demand to officiate, not only locally, but at various national tournaments.

“That was a real plus,” she said, “I was able to carry on going to tournaments I had been to as a player … and some that I had never got to, which was great.”

In 2011 Michelle took another step forward, being was named as part of the NZ umpires development squad and officiating in the final of a trans-Tasman tournament in Australia - but her progress was soon to be slowed.

“Things were ticking along really well,” she explained, “until I tore my calf muscle, playing.”

When she returned to umpiring, she was not at her best after a long lay-off and missed selection for the NZ squad, forcing a re-think.

“[Missing out] made me really think about what I wanted to be doing … that’s when I stopped playing and decided to concentrate fully on umpiring.

“I guess it shows how stubborn or resilient I am, I’m not sure which one, probably a combination of the two, but I felt I had a point to prove.

“I thought I should be [in the NZ squad] but it took me quite some time to get there. I was still getting selected for the big games at tournaments, but I didn’t get a NZ national umpires squad contract until 2021. That was six years just grinding it out trying to get back in the [NZ] frame.”

Recognition followed rapidly, with Michelle a regular appointee to NNL [National Netball League] matches in 2022, then being called up to officiate in her first ANZ premiership game, between the Tactix and Stars in Christchurch.

“I was initially a reserve for the game but because someone got Covid I got a late call-up. In hindsight, that was probably the best way to do it because you don’t have time to stress about it, you just get on and do it.”

She admits to a bit of anxiety before a big game, but says as soon as the first whistle is blown that disappears.

“You don’t notice anything else … because mentally you are just so involved with the game. Things unfold so quickly in front of you that you actually don’t have time to overthink stuff.”

Michelle said the step up from NNL games to ANZ premiership clashes was vast.

“The physical side is no different … but it is that mental side. For 60 minutes you are absolutely involved. You can’t lose your concentration … in that time you could have missed two or three calls.

“You come off the game and you are absolutely-mentally drained. That was the big learning for me.”

Her efforts during the 2022 NNL earned her the NNL Umpire of the Year accolade and led on to regular ANZ premiership appointments earlier this season.

Michelle is keen to continue her netballing odyssey, although she quickly admits she wishes “I was 10 years younger”.

“The body doesn’t always love me anymore but I certainly want to continue umpiring for maybe one or two more years, if I can.

“After that I am looking at the umpire coaching side of things. Not necessarily at the top end, I just enjoy helping those coming through.”

So, when Michelle finally blows the whistle on her umpiring career, she is motivated to give more back to the sport she loves, a common theme in an outstanding career.