European Youth Championships | 17 Jul 2024

Successful Continuation of ETTU Young Umpires Project

The ETTU Young Umpires Project, which began last year in Gliwice, continues to thrive. During the European Youth Championships, 24 young umpires received training and attended workshops. Following the event, a mentorship program was initiated to ensure the ongoing development of these young match officials.

Four Gold Badge Umpires shared their expertise through online sessions and at events, mentoring young umpires from 10 different associations.

Now, in Malmö, this inaugural program is concluding, with many of the trained umpires officiating at the European Youth Championships. Sweden has proven to be an ideal host for fostering the growth of young match officials, with 22 interested umpires attending the first session about the ETTU Young Umpires Project, all eager to join the new mentorship program for 2024/2025.

"It is excellent to continue the program for the next period until 2025 and to start especially here in Sweden. The Swedish Association is putting a lot of effort into developing their match officials, and ETTU also continues this successful project, which started in Poland last year. After one year, we can state that 50% of all participants in the mentorship program 2023/2024 have already reached the next level on the umpire career pathway, and we will see some of them in the International Umpire Exam 2024. Thanks to Kerstin DUCHATZ, Ingrid BOGREN, Pol PIERRET, and Mark BECKMANN for sharing their experience in the mentorship program, and to Asko RASINEN for coordinating the project. Let us start the next activities for our young umpires," said ETTU URC Chair Werner THURY.

Photo: Bogdan Pasek