On Saturday 9^th July, the Demons District will recognise the importance of supporting junior umpires with the inaugural Umpiring is Everyone’s Business Carnival.

The District, in partnership with the Demons District Football Umpires Association (DDFUA), Perth Football Club, Gosnells Junior Football Club and the AFL, will help promote the Umpiring is Everyone’s Business campaign and celebrate the important role that umpires hold in Australian Rules Football.

The Umpiring is Everyone’s Business campaign focuses on using influential people within Australian Football to advocate positively about umpiring and for all participants within our game to take responsibility for their behaviour on match day.  

In support of this event and its important message, Perth Football Club Captain Steve Armstrong will pick up a whistle and give umpiring a go. Armstrong played 79 games with Melbourne and West Coast in the AFL, and played a starring role in the Eagles’ 2006 Premiership. He has since played in the WAFL with the Perth Demons.

AFL Field Umpires Dean Margetts and Brett Rosebury will also attend the Carnival to mentor the DDFUA’s aspiring young umpires. Margetts and Rosebury both commenced umpiring in the Demons District and have since forged outstanding careers. Rosebury has umpired the last two AFL Grand Finals, including the historic drawn Grand Final.

The Carnival builds upon last year’s contribution to the Umpiring is Everyone’s Business Campaign- the Dean Margetts Promotional Game. Margetts returned to his original junior district and joined the DDFUA’s field, boundary and goal umpires to umpire an Under 17s game between Gosnells JFC and Kenwick JFC during the AFL split round. This event was hugely successful and was a unique experience for all involved.

Margetts is particularly proud to again lend his support to promoting the campaign within the Demons District stating that, “I am very fortunate to be able to come back to the Demons District where my playing and umpiring day’s began, to be able come back representing the AFL Umpiring Department is something I am very proud of and I hope my career can show all participants from our District, that you can make the elite system in whatever capacity you desire, if you are passionate enough about it.”

This Saturday all junior clubs will come together to play football in a fun and positive environment and in doing so will recognise the need to support and nurture umpires for the ultimate benefit of grass-roots football.

The Carnival will be held on Saturday 9^th July, between 8.30am-11.30am at Sutherlands Park, Gosnells.