When Fremantle took on Essendon in the first elimination final of the 2024 AFLW season, 4,934 fans – a record crowd – packed in to Fremantle oval. Ultimately, Essendon couldn’t break their club’s 20-year finals draught, and Fremantle emerged triumphant with a 10-point win at home.
Meanwhile, Courtney Gibson won her own small victory, having umpired her 50th AFLW game. In doing so, she became just the second female AFLW field umpire to reach the milestone.
Gibson hails from strong umpiring stock. Her father Randall was a professional boundary umpire, notching up 76 games between 1994 and 1999. In 2013 he was awarded life membership of the AFLUA.
Gibson credits Randall as being a major influence in the beginning of her umpiring career.
“My father… got me into cross country and athletics early on in my life. As soon as I started asking for money and was old enough, he took me down to training to start boundary umpiring with QAFL umpires.”
“My first game was at Wilston Grange with my father.”
“I remember I wore a spare uniform of his and it was the old orange uniform. It was so baggy and uncomfortable – I don’t remember liking my first game very much but knew it was a start of something.”
An AFLUA article from 2013 announced Randall’s elevation to Life Member. It noted that “he is umpiring with his daughter Courtney, who is showing promise as a boundary umpire.”
How prophetic that would turn out to be.
The oracular author would be proud to know that eleven years on, Courtney had risen to be a top performing AFLW field umpire.
Gibson comes together with other umpires to discuss a goal during the AFLW Elimination Final match between Fremantle Dockers and Essendon Bombers at Fremantle Oval, her 50th AFLW match. November 09, 2024. (Photo by Paul Kane/AFL Photos)
After several years in the QAFL, both as a boundary and a field umpire, she had progressed through the state academy and earned an opportunity to relocate from Queensland to Victoria in 2018. This would prove to be a big year for Gibson. With a spot in the AFL’s inaugural National Female Umpiring Academy, she would breakthrough to the AFLW that year.
Gibson’s first game was in round one of season two of the AFLW. Melbourne defeated GWS by six points at Casey Fields. She recognises her debut as one of the most memorable games of her career.
“I umpired with 2 very senior umpires out at Casey Fields (one who also umpired my WAFL League debut with me) and my parents flew down to watch. I had great feedback and it really gave me an extra boost after having just moved from Brisbane to Melbourne.”
Since her first game in the infancy of the AFLW, her career as seen the competition expand from eight teams to eighteen, and the seasons lengthen from eight rounds to twelve.
Whilst her love of the game and passion keep her motivated, umpiring is not without its challenges.
“To keep yourself in the moment and processing as it goes without jumping ahead in your mind is the hardest thing I’ve had to learn. It presents itself so much in my life outside of football already, so it’s been a good challenge to try and keep myself in the moment completely regardless of where or what I’m doing.”
“My best preparation starts with all things chill and zen. I tend not to do too much or think about the game very much prior and this helps with not overthinking. I’ll always do some yoga and meditation before a game.”
Outside of umpiring, Courtney works in… umpiring. Whilst she admits that “it may look like a lot of umpiring and potentially too much” she’s learned when to switch on and when to switch off.
“I keep my boundaries and ensure that I don’t mix my performance with my day-to-day work. I’m fortunate that I can have some flexibility with my work to be able to travel for AFLW and train so I feel I have a good balance.”
This year Gibson’s work included running umpiring academies for women and girls, a project she found great fulfilment in.
“We invited every female umpire in WA to attend monthly sessions and we provided the women and girls with a safe space to connect, grow and learn from others. We also provided some education for female umpires around nutrition and female health. It was a success, and we had great feedback. It gave me a new purpose and I think it ignited a sense of gratitude for our community.”
Her attitude towards the promotion of umpiring focuses not on skills and moments, but on taking a holistic view.
“Umpiring is so much more than what happens on game day. It’s the people you meet, the life lessons you get thrusted into but most importantly it’s the belonging and connection that people are craving for in their lives.”
“Umpiring is a rewarding career because it teaches you not to get lost in the ‘achievements’ of life and helps redefine success. Each week you don’t win or lose, so to learn how to grow and evolve can bring you the same joy as winning but [in a] more sustainable and impactful [way]. …It really highlights a beautiful common connection of internal strength and empowerment whilst allowing for vulnerability with the genuine connections you’ve made.”
Article by Jackson Kerr