Umpiring Pools

In East Men Divisions Prem A, Prem B, 1, 2N and 2S and in East Women  Divisions Prem, 1N and 1S, umpires are provided by either the East Regional Umpires Association or County Umpires Association Pools.  Some pools also provide umpires to lower divisions, but this is not a league requirement. Contact details for pool organisers can be found on the East Umpires page or on the County Associations page. A Club receiving umpires from pools must appoint an Umpiring Liaison Officer, whose primary responsibility is liaison with pool organisers. Guidance on ULO duties has been published by Umpires Associations as follows: Club Umpire Liaison Officers (ULO) will : Supply the relevant Regional Pool Coordinator (RPC) or County Pool Coordinator (CPC) with home start times and venues by the dates laid down in the timetable. Notify the RPC or CPC of any changes of contact details immediately they occur Provide and keep up to date a list of nominated club level 1 umpires for the purpose of rule 5.1 together with telephone numbers, email and postal addresses. Liaise with the County HUA to arrange coaching and Assessment opportunities for their clubs umpires. (This may include organising suitable club appointments for candidates to umpire or to arrange for club candidates to attend tournaments where coaching and assessments are being made). Ensure that all their club umpires are aware of their grading and H.A Level 1 registration number. Ensure, where East League rules require it, that all their club umpires are current members of the relevant County H.U.A or probationer level 1 umpires completing their level 1 training or assessment. Inform the CPC of their entire nominated club umpires names and availability by the deadline date before publication of each pool sheet. Supply a substitute umpire for any club nominees who become unavailable in the interim between pool sheet publication and the fixture date. Confirm the start time and venue of all home fixtures with the appointed umpires by the Tuesday night prior to the fixture. The use of email is acceptable providing the timescale is sufficient and a reply is asked for and returned within such timescale. Where there is insufficient time to complete the tasks by email, all parties should be telephoned.   Note: Many recipients use Company or business emails so replies to email notification of changes are imperative. Ensure that umpires are contacted immediately in the event of a postponement or cancellation. Inform the RPC or CPC of any postponed fixture within 48 hours of its postponement and provide immediate notification to them when the fixture is rearranged. Report any problems/non compliance to the RPC or CPC and ERHUA Compliance Officer.

Other Divisions:  Clubs must supply their own umpires to all other matches. This need not be one each, and two home umpire arrangements are often used by mutual agreement. Some teams in lower divisions may receive two home umpires from their County Umpiring Pools under local arrangements, and the visiting team must accept this and must supply both umpires for the other match.  Club Umpires must be Level 1 or higher in EWL Divs 2 or in EML Divs 3NE, 4NW, 6SE, and 4SW upwards. In lower Divisions, umpires can also be of Probationer or Candidate Level 1 standard, i.e. having passed the Level 1 exam but not yet having been assessed at a match.  Clubs are expected to have a total of Level 1 umpires that is at least double the total of teams they have in the East League, of whom at least half must be full Level 1.   Clubs are expected to maintain an up to date list of all their umpires on the East website - and should follow this link to do this:  Club Umpires System. The East Leagues do not differentiate between active and inactive Level 1 umpires as defined elsewhere.

Discipline and Appeals

Red cards and Match Day Misdemeanour Offences (MMOs) issued by umpires are dealt with by the England Hockey Disciplinary Procedures involving County and Regional Disciplinary Officers.  The League does not become involved in this.  However a player, team or club may be subject to discipinary action by the League under some circumstances. Such disciplinary action usually, but not exclusively, arises from incidents that are beyond the England hockey disciplinary code, for example persistent misbehaviour by individuals or teams over a period. Yellow cards are monitored by the League and players receiving three or more yellow cards in League matches in a season are subject to bans from one or more League matches.  It is the responsibility of the player and the club to activate the ban.  The league will check teamsheets to ensure that the appropraite number of games suspension have been served.  Failure to wthdraw the player from selection will lead to team penalties. Red cards and MMOs may be the subject of appeals using EH Disciplinary Procdures. All decisions by League Managers and the East League Committee are subject to appeal using the procedures set out in the League Disciplinary Rules. All of these processes and rules can be found by following the appropriate links on this page.