MEMBER OF THE ENGLAND NETBALL HALL OF FAME CELEBRATES 100TH INTERNATIONAL MATCH UMPIRED MILESTONE
Gary Burgess, who also works as Head of Officiating at England Netball, officiated his 100th International Senior Ranking Match during the Vitality Netball World Cup 2019 during the game between Northern Ireland and Malawi (15th July 2019). This achievement has added another highlight to his impressive umpiring career including:
- IFNA International Umpire Award, 2009
- World Netball Series in Manchester, 2009 including the final
- The final of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi India, 2010
- World Netball Series in Liverpool, 2010
- World Netball Championships in Singapore, 2011 including the final
- The final of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, 2014
- Netball World Cup in Sydney, 2015 including the final
- Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, Australia, 2018
- Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019
Commenting on this achievement, Gary Burgess said, “It’s hard to believe that 100 matches has come around so quickly. In the past 10 years I have had the pleasure of working with some of the greats in world Netball including outstanding co-umpires and technical officials and the fantastic athletes and coaches who work so hard with their players to create the spectacle we are all a part of. It truly has been a privilege and an honour, and I want to say a special thanks to the Umpire Assessors who have been integral to me becoming who I am today.”
“I have umpired some of the most memorable games in the history of our sport, but the most prized reward I have received is the opportunity to make so many friends who will stay long after my time on the court has ended”.
Christina Davidson, International Umpiring Manager at the International Netball Federation adds, “Gary’s dedication and commitment to the sport of Netball has been remarkable over the years. Without umpires like Gary, Netball would cease to exist, and with the rise in the sport over the recent years it’s important that not only the game is played fairly and in accordance with the rules, but umpires are given the respect and recognition they deserve. Hopefully we will see many more umpires reaching their 100th milestone in the future”.
Gary took up a full-time position with England Netball three years ago, having had a successful career in education. For more about officiating in Netball head to the website here
