After retiring, Philip Chircop was eager to find an activity to keep him socially and physically active. He therefore joined the Victorian umpire's family in July 2023 and has already umpired ten tournaments since then.

Philip shared his experience taking the State Umpires Course.  

“The experience doing the course was a friendly environment with a good instructor,” he said.  

A week before the course, Philip received the Handbook for Match Officials, and diligently studied the 50 pages of rules and requirements for the exam.

Philip’s first experience at a tournament was both nerve-wracking and enjoyable, and he was impressed by the high standards of the players.  

The biggest challenge he faces is during the service action, where an umpire must be aware of numerous factors in just a few seconds. 

“An umpire’s responsibility is to decide the results of each rally by exercising judgement in applying laws and regulations and whether a player’s behaviour is acceptable,” Philip explained.  

“I arrive at 8.30am to check tables and nets and prepare group score sheets and get them to the tables before 9.00am start. From 9.00am to finish time I am umpiring various matches.” 

Philip enjoys watching fantastic matches and feels he is constantly contributing and learning. 

“To be a good umpire you need to be calm and fair and do your best to make it a good experience for the players.” 

He hopes his presence encourages others to take up the sport and umpiring. He has enjoyed umpiring many quality matches and trusts his experience will help him handle future challenges. 

Philip suggests that being an umpire is more about the love of the game than monetary gain, and believes in thoroughly learning the rules and applying them calmly and consistently.  

He aims to continually improve, gain further qualifications, and potentially umpire or referee at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.