Let’s pledge to respect officials and umpires at all levels of hockey in 2025

To the Australian Hockey Community,

As another exciting hockey season hits off across the country, it's a perfect opportunity to remind ourselves of the vital importance of showing respect and courtesy to our dedicated officials and umpires at every level of the game.

Without officials and umpires, there would be no game. 

Officials and umpires are as essential to our sport as players and coaches, investing a significant amount of time, energy, and expertise into their roles each week, and it's crucial that we recognise and appreciate their contributions.

Hockey Australia has a National Integrity Framework and a Code of Conduct and Respectful Behaviours Framework in place to prohibit any form of abuse, bullying or harassment towards anyone within the hockey community.  

We know umpires and officials are not immune to making mistakes. Being an official is a challenging and often thankless role, and they dedicate their time to ensure that players, coaches, and spectators can enjoy the best aspects of our great game.

Regardless of the decisions made—whether they seem right or wrong—there is never any justification for verbally abusing or threatening officials and umpires. The next time you're tempted to criticise an umpire's call or hear someone from the sidelines shouting abuse, please choose respect over criticism.

We all share the responsibility of setting a positive example through our actions and words. Just as we acknowledge the opposition after a tough game, our officials and umpires also deserve a ‘thank you’ for their efforts, no matter the outcome.

I invite you to join our community in pledging your commitment to respecting officials and umpires in our game here. 

Let’s work together to ensure hockey remains the incredible sport it is, by recognising all of the passionate people involved in our game and by supporting and encouraging more individuals to take on officiating roles, we can help our sport continue to grow and flourish.

I wish you all the best for the season ahead and thank you for being a part of the hockey community.

Warm regards,

David Pryles
CEO, Hockey Australia