AFL rookie umpire Nathan Williamson is unique for a number of reasons. Not only is Nathan the only official as part of The University of Notre Dame Australia’s thriving Elite Athlete Friendly program, but he’s also keen to share his love of umpiring to inspire those around him.
The 22-year-old final year Health & Physical Education (Secondary) student, who is part of the AFL Rookie Field Umpires list for 2016 and an elite athlete at Notre Dame, says the best thing about umpiring is that it teaches you important life skills as well as self-confidence.
“I view umpiring as another pathway to experiencing the greatest game in the world.
“Throughout my journey, I’ve learnt how to deal with pressurised situations, decision-making, added responsibilities and setbacks. I feel like I’ve become a more resilient and personable individual across this journey,” Nathan said.
Inspired by his father while living in the town of Newdegate in Western Australia’s Great Southern Region, Nathan began umpiring junior football at age 12, before progressing to seniors, whilst playing in the Peel Football League, and the WAFL competition with experience.
Such was Nathan’s professionalism on the field, he was named as a field umpire for the 2013 WAFL Colts Grand Final. Since then, he has umpired the U18s National Championship in 2014, the WAFL Reserves Grand Final in 2014, and received his National Officiating Scholarship in 2015.
However, his proudest memory was his first bounce in an AFL match between the West Coast Eagles and Gold Coast Suns during the 2016 pre-season campaign. Nathan was supported by fellow WA umpires, Dean Margetts, Luke Farmer and Jeff Dalgleish.
“Being out on the ground in front of a massive crowd for my first AFL game was a moment I will never forget. It gave me the encouragement I needed to pursue my umpiring dream,” Nathan said.
“This is something I hope to share with students that I will teach one day – that being an umpire is not only an excellent way to keep fit, but you’re surrounded by great people who will teach you a lot about yourself as a person. I encourage anyone who loves AFL and is interested in umpiring to give it a go.”
Notre Dame’s Elite Athlete Friendly program supports Australia’s elite athletes to achieve academic excellence whilst also pursuing a sporting careers. The value of combining both sport and higher education to achieve greater life success is well recognised across the university and sporting sectors.
The University currently supports a number of elite athletes achieving their goals, including Australian Olympic swimmer, Brianna Throssell; international weightlifter, Jessica Lai; and WA hockey players, James and Simon Bennetti.
Nathan says the support he has received from Notre Dame’s School of Health Sciences as part of the Elite Athlete Friendly program has been outstanding as it has allowed him to attend training sessions and match day commitments whilst balancing university study.
To find out more about Notre Dame’s Elite Athlete Friendly program, please visit nd.edu.au/eliteathlete.