Nick Horton

Midlands level 2 hockey umpire and umpire coach. West Ham fan.

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

Well deserved.

[Midlands Hockey @midlands_hockey]

Congratulations to Charlotte (Charlie) Royle who was successfully assessed for her L2 Umpire Award at the weekend and has been added to the Men’s C Panel of umpires.

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@GoaleeMurph @theoldbloke @TabbStephen @MACDS94 Speak to any umpire level 2 or above and learn their journey, it does not come easy

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@GoaleeMurph @theoldbloke @TabbStephen @MACDS94 I agree you need to enjoy it, I have been doing it for over 30 years. BUT you never enjoy every game.
In all aspects of life you need to learn to improve which often means getting out of your comfort zone.
Without coaching I would be amazed if anyone would reach level 2.

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@TabbStephen @MACDS94 @GoaleeMurph @theoldbloke What is needed is qualified umpire coaches to coach in a game situation.
If any umpire is serious go and watch a conference or midlands prem game and watch the umpires and not the game.

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@theoldbloke @TabbStephen @MACDS94 @GoaleeMurph With all due respect you have to be coached and assessed on neutral games to get to level 2. You cannot do this within a club environment.
To get to level 2 you need patience and it can take a couple of years.
This is why level 1 umpires are needed to appoint to divs 2 and 3.

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@GoaleeMurph @TabbStephen @theoldbloke @MACDS94 The point I am making is that we should be able to appoint to at least one level if not two so there is a learning pathway for level 1 umpires to reach 2 and beyond.
We always used to with no problem.

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@TabbStephen @GoaleeMurph @theoldbloke @MACDS94 Before long there will be no candidates for National league.
England Hockey need to find ways of getting umpires out of clubs and onto panels.
It does not help with umpires almost being self funded. It is the only major sport that does not reward the time given up.

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@TabbStephen @GoaleeMurph @theoldbloke @MACDS94 Stephen, there are no umpires of any ages joining the panels at the moment. Getting young umpires is great but there needs to be targeting of over 30’s before the panels die. Panels start at level 2 now, how do level 1 develop?

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@theoldbloke @GoaleeMurph @MACDS94 Yes it does

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@MACDS94 @GoaleeMurph @theoldbloke Thanks for the thought but I have no idea when I will be umpiring again.
Bad hamstring pull last January which will not clear up. Will keep to umpire coaching until it does (if there are any to coach!)

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@GoaleeMurph @MACDS94 @theoldbloke Yes it does, but we have always had that.
There is an even greater shortage this year and there will likely be many
Division 1 games with no umpires appointed

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@MACDS94 @GoaleeMurph @theoldbloke It doesn’t help that you have to pay £30.00 to be allowed to be appointed.
In my opinion England hockey have zero interest in umpires

[Elliott Rider @riderelliott]

@midlands_hockey Please would you share this on you twitter account and to any clubs you know would be interested. thanks you

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@MACDS94 @GoaleeMurph Dan, positioning is a good point and can be changed during the game. To me positioning is the biggest weakness of club umpires. Get them into the right places and they see a lot more.
What you should not change is how they interpret the rules during the game.

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@MACDS94 @GoaleeMurph Dan, do you want umpires to umpire each half the same or for them to change the way they do it after half time?

[South Central Hockey @SouthCentralHo2]

Umpires in the South Central Area are all volunteers who give up thier time so that clubs can play thier matches each week. Please do treat them as you would like to be treated. They are there to facilitate good hockey #3rdteam

[Graham Woolcock @hockeygra]

Interesting articles on football referees and abuse - all referees get paid at every level, Hockey umpires do not get paid and are volunteers - remember that the next time you fire a verbal assault at them - #noumpiresnogames

[Midlands Hockey @midlands_hockey]

Midlands Hockey would like to remind all clubs and players of their responsibilities for conduct and behaviour towards officials and umpires both during and after games, including via social media. Details of England Hockeys RESPECT policy can be found at https://t.co/eANAYsqZBb

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@Blakers9021 Cheap shot from an individual not from the club, Khalsa are better than that. It comes across as blaming the umpires for them losing. Strangely no criticism of the player that missed their flick!
Speak to Colin if you are not happy with his comment.

[Nick Horton @nickphorton]

@barden_simon @adamwheeler23 Well said.