Former netball umpire Jarrod Hibberson loving life in charge of Holbrook's A-grade side

In a female-dominated sport, Hibberson has taken the plunge into A-grade with Holbrook this season and has found the full backing of his players and the club's committee.

The Brookers may only have won two of their seven games so far but Hibberson is relishing the challenge.

"I'm loving every minute of it," he said. "The girls have responded really well to me coaching this year.

"Tayla Byrne, our captain, saw me coach at Albury and she's been a big factor. She understands why I make certain decisions and the committee has backed me 100 percent.

"There's a lot more males coming through as coaches and umpires now.

"My perspective of the game is slightly different to a female coach and my drills are slightly different but I think that comes from my umpiring background as well. I can read the umpire a little bit more than another coach would, so that up-skills me to an extent.

"Dan Ryan (the former Adelaide Thunderbirds coach) has been a big influence and the same with the Magpie coach Rob Wright. There's a lot more potential for males to come through."

Hibberson played junior football at Holbrook but took a real interest in netball after injuring the AC joints in both shoulders.

"I picked it up from Mum," he said. "She was umpiring so we used to sit and watch her. My older sister played and I think that's where my love of netball came from.

"You've got to have a real passion to umpire for 10 years, although I'm loving the coaching side because I don't have to run!

"We still back the footy and they're going well this year. I still love the game of footy but there's a love of netball there as well."

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On Saturday, Holbrook entertain a CDHBU side just one win above them in the Hume league.

"We've been in some tight matches and lost them in the third or fourth quarter," Hibberson reflected.

"CDHBU have had some tough losses, like us, so it'll come down to who's on at the shooting end."

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