Beard set for 350th game
By James Matthey
Tim Beard has shown no signs of slowing down since beginning his umpiring career at the tender age of 16, preparing to umpire his 350th game of football this weekend.
The well-respected member of the Riverina Umpires Association (RUA) made a rapid rise through the ranks, graduating from boundary umpire to first grade official after just one season.
Beard said he began umpiring because he wanted to stay involved with football after realising that he probably wasn’t going to reach an elite level as a player.
“I initially began umpiring with friends and I continued umpiring after realising that as a player I was never going to reach any great heights.
“I enjoyed umpiring and saw that with all the rewards and opportunities, there was a chance to progress further and stay involved longer.”
Umpiring has provided Beard with great opportunities to travel and make new friends, carrying the whistle during matches in almost all of Australia’s capital cities.
His career hasn’t always been smooth sailing, though, with Beard forced to overcome numerous obstacles including two concussions, three knee operations, torn ankle ligaments and three major operations due to serious illness.
However, Beard’s love for the sport and desire to contribute to the local Riverina community has ensured that he never contemplated giving it away, even during these tough times.
“I keep umpiring now because it’s a great way to keep involved in sport, to keep fit and to be part of a great local footballing community,” said Beard.
“It’s great to have the chance now after so long in it to help out future generations and be involved in their development, there’s the great satisfaction received from helping local sport prosper and grow, and mostly there’s the great friendships and camaraderie shared within the RUA group.”
Over the years, Beard has added off-field positions to his on-field responsibilities, engaging in coaching and mentoring roles that have allowed him to give back to the footballing community that has been so kind to him over his long career.
“In my time with RUA I have held numerous positions; boundary coach, junior coach, MIA coach, vice president, secretary (twice), vice president, assistant treasurer and joint coach,” said Beard.
“I guess I have always seen that umpiring has given me a lot of opportunities, experience and life-long friends, so I have felt comfortable in contributing and putting something back in to the community.
“I guess like a football coach they like to see new young players grow, develop, and improve their skills and become better players, it’s the same here but as an umpire.
“I think as a coaching group we also work strongly on life skills as well as umpire development, so this part is very rewarding.
Southern NSW Umpiring Development Coordinator, Luke Olsen, said Beard was a great role model whose work has been instrumental in the development of umpiring talent in the region.
“Tim is a great ambassador for umpiring and his dedication to the development of umpiring within the area is invaluable,” said Beard.
The one constant throughout Beard’s umpiring journey has been his family, who he credits with providing the love and support that has allowed him to succeed in his chosen field.
“I am very fortunate to have all of us as a wonderful family, if they did not support me there is no way I could have done or achieved this much in my umpiring…for that I am very grateful to Nicole, Louis and Lachie.
“The reward is that umpiring invariably allows us to have a family holiday which we all get to share, so for the sacrifice we all make as a family during the year…we thankfully get to share some reward together from this.”
