Pass-Along Career

Our umpiring Mike Ball modified the father-to-son sports tradition this season. His daughter became the first father-to-daughter WAFL umpire.

Kendell Ball is also only the second female to officiate league football in Australia.

According to the WAFL news story, she never consider it a problem.

“People have talked about it from the moment I started umpiring and I never saw it as an issue,” she said. “Obviously dad umpired a lot of footy and is still involved now, but I haven’t felt any pressure to do anything differently. He was a field umpire, I’m a goal umpire and I’ve just focused on doing my job well.”