Who am I?
I live in Moonta. It takes me four hours to drive to training and back each training session.
I am 28 years of age.
I am an AFL goal umpire.
If you don’t have an answer now then you will never get it!
Daniel Hoskin feels like he has climbed a mountain to finally get to his first milestone and boy is he pleased to achieve it. He started his AFL career in the same year as Shane Thiele, who celebrates his 100th AFL game in the same game this Sunday. He started in the same year as other goal umpires, Steve Williams (89 games) and Brett Rogers (62 games) but Daniel is adamant that you take the opportunities you are given and continue to work hard. “The tide will turn if you simply work hard.”
One of Daniel’s strengths is his knowledge of football and how the game is played. He prides himself on that level of understanding and believes it assists his umpiring. “As a child I was a footy fanatic, I knew every player in the AFL and SANFL.” Daniel stops and laughs, “I was a bit of a soft player though and unfit, I played footy until under 13’s. I had good skills but was never good in and under.”
Daniel has committed himself to his role as an AFL goal umpire, to him it is black and white, you are either in or you are out! With that attitude, Daniel commits to his umpiring 100%, including the long hours spent driving “I control what I can control and training and fitness are two is one of those things. I am there every night with Axe, Norto and Willow. We mentor each other and have very open and honest communication, it is the way it has to be if we are to improve. We watch our games back and we seek feedback from each other. I feel we have established positive, honest and hardworking culture that is constantly evolving and improving and is vastly improving our umpiring individually and as a collective.
Daniel has ticked off many goals off his “life list”. In footy that includes a SANFL grand final and getting onto the AFL list, finals and grand finals remain un-ticked. As does some things in his life outside footy, including world travel.
Daniel we love your passion. You are a patient man.
