THE President of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), Mike Fennell, in commending the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) for conducting a Junior Umpires training programme for the sport, says there is a definite need at this time to increase the numbers and quality of sports officials in the Caribbean region.

Fennell was the guest speaker at a presentation ceremony of the first batch of graduates in the Junior Umpires Training Programme combined with the second cohort of Under-13 netballers trained in the JNA Development Programme. Both training programmes were sponsored by the Bank of Nova Scotia, which hosted the graduation ceremony at the BNS Sports Club in Liguanea, St Andrew, last Saturday.

Fennell praised the JNA and BNS for “breaking new ground with the training of the junior umpires”.

The JOA president said: “There is not a long list of well-trained officials throughout the region. Not enough attention is being paid to the development of skilled umpires and referees.

“I also believe that the fear of criticism of their performance as officials by the press and spectators is also keeping away people who would otherwise consider sports officiating.

“But we need to keep sportsmen and women in line with good officiating, officiating that constantly impresses upon them the importance practising proper values and attitudes on the field of play. So we need to address both the shortage and quality in sports officiating in the Caribbean.”

Fennell said a company such as BNS that would sponsor umpire training which might be considered a “non-glamorous” aspect of sport, should be specially recognised. “Their sincerity is evident,” he said.

Six young women, twins Zola and Priscilla Thomas, Natalie Richards, Tavia Porter, Danae Phillips, Camara Douglas, and Kerry Smith, the lone male, graduated from the Junior Umpires training programme. They joined the programme in 2010 at age 14.

The Under-13 Development Programme turned out 60 graduates.

Marva Bernard, president of the JNA, described the Junior Umpires Training Programme as “an excellent blueprint for the way forward in the training of our umpires. We will take in the next cohort in April this year”.

For her part, Shelley Sykes-Coley, sponsorship manager at Scotia Bank, said that the bank was proud to partner with the JNA for the development of youth through sports.

She added that it was most rewarding also that the Junior Umpires training programme had attracted international attention with South Africa’s decision to adopt it for netball in that country.