Kathy Dobson spent 15 seasons as the O and M netball umpires' coordinator, claiming the Peter Bruhn Volunteer of the Year in 2014.

Some club officials are worried the strict coronavirus football training protocols introduced by AFL Victoria, such as having at least one COVID-Safe Officer, will place too much pressure on support staff.

"I have a problem with that question because burnout and volunteers do not go in the same sentence," Dobson stressed.

"If you don't want to do it, don't do it."

Dobson also coached A grade netball with Albury around 20 years ago, but it's been almost four decades since gaining her A grade umpires' badge.

"I love netball, I've been to every world championships since 1991, last year Kevin (partner) and I were in Liverpool and saw us lose (to New Zealand) by a goal, which was a pain (laughs)," she said enthusiastically.

"The game is about cooperation, communication, teamwork and it's about setting up a bond with each other.

"You can bring in a superstar netballer, but it doesn't amount to much if they can't work in with the other players.

"It's such a small court, you've got 14 people in a 100-feet by 50-feet court, so you actually have to have a lot of knowledge about each other and team structure.

"I like that about the sport, it creates a team atmosphere."

Despite moving to the family farm at Bowman's Forest, near Beechworth, 13 years ago, Dobson continued the 50-minute trip to Albury-Wodonga for netball.

"I would spend 20 to 30 hours a week sometimes on Ovens and Murray," she said.

"We set up a training program and made it fun.

"There were a lot of times when you thought, 'bloody hell' (spending so much time on the sport), but then you see that if you do it and do it properly, you see the results of it working well.

"If you get the teams on the court and it's a fantastic game, you forget the hours you spent sweeping the damn leaves off or the hours you've spent trying to get an umpire for a particular game."

The 71-year-old isn't about to retire either.

Dobson is now on the Ovens and King Football Netball League board and is hoping to be the umpires' coach, should the season go ahead.

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"You get tremendous satisfaction knowing you have helped an umpire become the best official they can," Dobson said.

"It doesn't matter what level they reach, as long as they can reach their potential."