Rise humbles ump pioneer
‘Visible presence’: Female surge marks Roffey’s 300th
AFL Victoria is celebrating an enormous spike in female umpire involvement in 2024.
About 800 female umpires are registered in both country and metro football, accounting for a spike of more than 40 per cent on 2023 numbers.
The rise, which continues a trend of previous years, coincides with the career of female goal umpire Chelsea Roffey, who this weekend officiates in her 300th AFL match.
When Roffey debuted, there had been only one female umpire before her and she was the only one in the AFL at the time.
Now, the surge in female participation is starting to level out the playing field.
However, the term “pioneer” still doesn’t sit well with the 42year-old milestone woman.
“I take that label as a huge compliment. I love the fact that if you pass a footy oval these days, you often see a girl kicking a footy with her dad,” Roffey
said. “There’s just that presence of females in the game that probably wasn’t there when I was growing up.
“To think I played a part in that is a very humbling suggestion, but I think it’s also the fact in (AFL) W we’ve had so much more opportunities open up.
“There’s such a visible presence that just has to have had an impact. It’s hopefully going to reach a bit tipping point where it’s just normalised as ‘involvement’.”
From a young age, Roffey understood “the news angle” but invested her focus in getting her calls right.
“From the beginning, I have always been very conscious that gender does form a part of my story and that’s the news angle,” she said.
“But over the years I have been conscious of trying to build respect and, early on, trying to really earn my spot.
“Making sure I was first and foremost performing as an umpire but then being someone that was credible in the competition. I think over years that morphed into wanting to enjoy it more and soaking up the atmosphere, being present for those magical moments that happen right in front of you.
“I would like to think I am a little bit more relaxed these days and can hopefully get out there on Saturday and just enjoy the moment.
“I still remember stepping out onto the Gabba and being on the centre, rather than the outer, as I was as a footy lover. I had this excellent photo ... you can see my level of concentration and slightly terrified look. In my mind I was thinking: ‘Let’s get this right, let’s get this right, but also … that’s Michael Voss!’”
Roffey said the magic of Cyril Rioli and Eddie Betts as well as the roar of the MCG crowd on Anzac Day or at the grand final were highlights.