Many of the field umpires who were promoted onto the Olympic Park track would recognise my next statement. In the first conversation you would have with coach Alan Nash, he would respond by saying, “Do you want to be a League umpire or a Test cricketer? If the former is the go, then you must give away your cricket, as we need you for practice matches during the cricket season.”
Unfortunately for my next Where Are They Now? subject, Kenneth Neal Norris, better known as “Hoppy”, he had to give away a promising cricket career with North Bendigo Cricket Club, premiers in 1971–72, St Kilda Cricket Club, Footscray Cricket Club and Werribee Cricket Club in the Sub-District competition, where Ken scored 101 runs in one innings, to pursue an umpiring career with the VFL. Some might say it paid dividends, as Ken went on to umpire 20 VFL senior games over a period of three years. However, when you look at Ken’s cricket career before joining the VFL umpiring ranks, it is easy to wonder what might have been. He represented the Victorian Country Cricket League against the touring West Indies team in Bendigo in 1975, scoring 16 against a fearsome pace attack that included Michael Holding. Then, in 1985, while representing the ACT against the West Indies, Ken scored an unbeaten 49 against another formidable bowling line-up featuring Courtney Walsh and Winston Davis. Ken still boasts about his batting average of 65 against the West Indies. Not to mention, he was also captain of the VFLUA Cricket Club for two years.
Born on 17 February 1951 at Bendigo Base Hospital to Ken and Barbara Norris, Ken grew up in Bendigo with his siblings, Kerrie and Brian. In 1956 he attended Maiden Gully Primary School before progressing to Kangaroo Flat Technical School in 1963. It was at Tech School that Ken developed a keen interest in football, playing in the Under-15 competition of the Bendigo Junior Football League before later representing Sandhurst Under-18s in the Bendigo Football League. In 1965 Ken represented the Bendigo Football League in the Under-15 State Championships. Unfortunately, before reaching the age of 18, Ken broke his collarbone three times, bringing an end to his football career. To help pay his medical bills, he took up boundary umpiring in the Bendigo Football League in 1969.
While attending YMCA dances, Ken met a lovely young lady, Julie Muller, in 1968, and the couple married in 1972. Today they have two daughters, Kate and Lisa, and four grandchildren, Tessa, Tom, Maggie and Max.
Ken attended the Bendigo Institute of Technology in 1969 before moving to Melbourne in 1970 for employment. There he worked for the Attorney-General’s Department as a file clerk. That same year, at the age of 19, Ken spent a season on the VFL Reserve Grade boundary umpiring list. In 1971 he returned to Bendigo, where he worked for the Victorian Inland Meat Authority as a trainee manager before joining Dalgety Stock and Agents as an accounts clerk. That same year Ken joined the Bendigo Umpires Association as a field umpire, officiating in 110 VCFL games over five years throughout the Bendigo Football League and surrounding districts.
In 1975, while officiating in a Bendigo Football League reserves match, it happened that Bill Deller, who was out on rotation, had the senior game. Over a beer and a chat after the match, Bill suggested to Ken that he had the potential to umpire in Melbourne and encouraged him to give VFL umpiring a go.
Late in 1975, Ken moved back to Melbourne to continue his studies at the Footscray Institute of Technology and pursue a VFL umpiring career. Following a glowing reference from Bendigo Football League Secretary Ivan O’Donnell to Alan Nash, Ken returned to the VFL, going straight onto the senior list and training at Royal Park under Jim Brewer. His first appointment on the list was in the East Gippsland Football League, Lindenow South versus Snowy Rovers, and it was not long before the selection committee was receiving glowing reports about an umpire named Norris.
After only six games on the list, and following an observation by Bill Yendle at Colac, Ken was promoted onto the Olympic Park track. It was there that Ken, a brash country boy, was taken under the wing of John Morgan, and today, more than 50 years later, they remain great friends.
After 18 VCFL games, Ken was appointed to his first VFL Reserve Grade match at the Western Oval, where Footscray defeated Melbourne 15.19 to 10.15, with Newell Lock as his partner for the day. An interesting sidelight to that game was that Jeff Gieschen was voted Best on Ground. Yes, the very same Jeff Gieschen who later became AFL Umpiring Director.
Following 34 VFL Reserve Grade games and a further 36 VCFL matches, together with consistently strong observer reports, Ken was appointed to his first VFL senior game on 7 April 1979 under the two-umpire system. The match, played at the MCG, saw Melbourne defeat Footscray 18.17 to 16.17. His partner that day was Bill Deller OBE in front of a crowd of 24,133, an appointment Ken still considers the highlight of his umpiring career. Ken and Bill remain good friends to this day.
That same year, while umpiring at the MCG, Ken went to blow his whistle to award a mark, only to discover the whistle clip was the only thing left attached to his fingers. Almost simultaneously, Paul Callery picked up the whistle and blew it for the mark. It was, as Ken recalls, a very embarrassing moment.
In 1980 Ken successfully nominated for the VFLUA Executive Committee and served for one year.
The next three seasons saw Ken rotate between the senior and reserve grades. In 1982 he officiated in his final VFL senior game at the MCG, where Richmond defeated Melbourne 18.8 to 15.16, with Neville Nash as his partner before a crowd of 31,348.
Ken’s career on the VFL senior list consisted of 20 VFL senior games, 58 VFL Reserve Grade games, two Reserve Grade Finals, 50 VCFL matches,
Ken Norris receives a Certificate of Appreciation from the AFLUA.
eight VCFL Finals, four VCFL Grand Finals and four representative games. His VCFL Grand Finals were in the Farrer, Mallee, Bellarine and South West District (NSW) leagues.
Following his retirement in 1982, Ken became an observer and video operator, assisting Ian Coates, as well as serving as an adviser, concentrating on mentoring young umpires in the Goulburn Valley region. He became a respected mentor to many umpires who later progressed through the ranks. During his seven years in Melbourne, Ken also worked with the Victorian Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation as a Sports Development Officer.
In late 1983 Ken and his family moved to Canberra, where he joined the Australian Sports Commission with the Commonwealth Government. In 1995 he was seconded to the ACT Government as General Manager of the ACT Academy of Sport, a position he held until after the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Ken travelled extensively during his career with the Australian Sports Commission and the ACT Academy of Sport. He attended the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona as part of the Australian Olympic Committee team and also the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada. His travels also took him to Italy, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Africa, Denmark and New Zealand during his career as a sports administrator. He was particularly thrilled watching the Australian athletes perform at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, many of whom he had played some part in preparing for competition.
In 2007 Ken established his own sports consultancy business, Podium Performance, which he operated until retiring in 2016. During his early years in Canberra, Ken maintained an interest in umpiring, serving as an observer with the ACT Umpires Association alongside former VFL umpires Brian Stirling and Vas Vasilou.
In 2021, several umpires from years gone by travelled to the Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort to celebrate Ken’s 70th birthday. A great day was had by all, with the stories becoming more exaggerated as the afternoon wore on.
In retirement, Ken loves watching his grandchildren play sport and spending time with his wife, Julie. Over the years he has enjoyed playing golf, basketball, tennis, table tennis and squash competitively, as so many did in country Victoria. He is something of a “professional” when it comes to golf, as Ken is the only bloke I know who has managed to shoot his age—four times so far. He still plays regularly at Yowani Country Club off a handicap of nine and has also been the club’s Junior Manager for the past 20 years.
He can’t get enough of Kayo while watching his beloved Western Bulldogs in the big games. He admires the skill and athleticism of today’s players but still gets frustrated by the number of dodgy handballs that go unpenalised.
Ken also takes great pride in growing vegetables and sharing them with friends and family. He still gets plenty of laughs watching his mate John Morgan standing over a three-foot putt, and the antics never fail to split his sides. He also hopes that one day Peter Phair will finally become a wine expert.
Lovely to chat, Ken. Good luck for the future. It would be great to see you back at Caulfield one day.
Graeme ‘Wizzer’ Fellows