Getting back in the middle of the action
Dave Nock is relishing his latest role in cricket in Shropshire as an umpire – and he wants more people to join in the fun with him.
He’s a well-known and respected figure in Shropshire cricketing circles after more than 40 years playing for the likes of Lilleshall, St Georges, Tibberton and Newport.
Add in a coaching career which has seen him involved with club and County Age Group sides, Shropshire women’s cricket and more recently the senior Shropshire side, and it all adds up to an impressive CV.
But a hip injury forced him to step down as a player in 2019, and he is now winding down his coaching commitments to become more involved with the Shropshire Association of Cricket Officials (SACO).
And he admits it’s partly because it gets him back in the centre of the action once again.
“Coaching is great, but you’re always on the other side of the rope during the game. I had this urge to get back in the middle of the action and umpiring has been a great way to do that.”
He was still playing a couple of times a week including for Shropshire Over 50s when the injury brought an abrupt end to his playing career leading to a hip replacement operation.
It promted him to take the umpiring course in 2021 and he is now a member of SACO’s panel of umpires who regularly officiate at games in the top divisions of the MSG Shropshire County Cricket League each week.
“I’ve been trying to balance the umpiring and coaching since I stopped playing, but have got more involved in umpiring the last couple of years. I have done quite a few games this year, and it really is the best seat in the house.
“I am of the opinion that it is the players’ game – not mine – when I’m umpiring. I’m there to count to six, give a few signals and hold the jumpers and listen to the witty banter and keep some sort of order. I absolutely love it.”
He is now looking to get involved in umpire development and help improve the standards of umpiring in much the same way he has been with coach development over the years.
“We don’t just put the gear away at the end of the season and not think about the game again until the next April.
“We aim to have at least one session a month where people of all abilities – panel umpires or club umpires, junior umpires of female umpires – can get together and go through different topics and relevant rules and develop their skills.”
“The aim is to give people more confidence in their abilities.”
It is also important to listen to feedback to help improve the umpiring standards across the game, he says.
“We do have a reporting system for clubs after league games involving panel umpires, and it is important we look at that. We can pick up trends and we can do something about them to help drive up standards.”
He is also keen to encourage more women and girls to get involved in umpiring.
“We want to see people of all ages, backgrounds and experience get involved, male and female. If you have a genuine love of cricket, it is a great way to be involved in the game.
“I hope to get out and about to speak to clubs and players who may be coming to the end of their cricketing life or maybe not played for a while to say why not get involved in umpiring? – it’s really is rewarding.
“I do think that ex-players have a better rapport with current players because they just get it – they have a feel for the game.”
Doing the umpiring course has also given him a whole new perspective on the game.
“I’ve played the game for many years, but becoming qualified as an umpire I discovered what I didn’t know about the game when you get into it is fascinating.”
There is an umpiring course coming up this Autumn, to get involved CLICK HERE.
