Vaughan awarded Greg Sidebottom Memorial
Gippsland Umpires Association coach Paul Vaughan has been recognised for his outstanding work in 2017, taking out the inaugural Greg Sidebottom Memorial Umpire Coach of the Year award at the AFL Victoria Community awards night on Friday.
Several of Victoria’s top community coaches, volunteers and umpires were recognised at the awards night, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
More than 400 guests were in attendance for the annual event which celebrates the contribution of the state’s best grassroots umpires, NAB AFL Auskick volunteers, Australian Football Coaches Association (AFCA) recipients and the tireless work of more than 78,000 volunteers across the state.
Of the 15,000 accredited coaches in Victoria, the state’s finest were recognised across five AFCA Coach of the Year award categoriesNAB AFL Auskick, Junior, Youth, Female and Senior, as well as the best umpire coaches.
The Greg Sidebottom Memorial Award was struck by AFL Victoria this year, recognising the top community umpire coach who has shaped the next generation of umpires.
Vaughan said it was a huge honour to receive the award struck in honour of a well-respected person in the umpiring community.
“I’m humbled by the acknowledgement and effort from the GUA to be nominated for this award, and ultimately AFL Victoria in recognition of years of work,” he said.
“As coaches we strive to perform at our best and provide our best for umpires as individuals, providing quality umpiring for the football community, organisations and leagues.
Sidebottom, who was a life member of the Goulburn Valley Football Umpires Association, died while umpiring a Kyabram District Football League game last year.
The former VFL umpire, who was in charge of 39 elite level games during the 1980s, had significant involvement in community football not only in the Goulburn Valley, but at several umpiring associations across Victoria, including in Gippsland.
In his first season, he presided over a match between Tooradin and Longwarry where both teams believed they were kicking to the same end and it was difficult to find a player to kick the ball back in after the first score.