EDITION 7 Where Are They Now???

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1 EDITION 7 Where Are They Now??? My first guest is truly a legend in every sense of the word. Someone who I looked up to when I came to the league as a young boundary umpire back in 1991, and who helped many umpires over the years with his encouragement, humour, wit and also exemplified dedication, hard work and was truly always a great team man. Someone who also took the time to encourage, support, teach and just generally went out of his way to help my daughter when she came into the umpiring a few years ago. Someone I m honoured to call my friend and still think of like a big brother, Mr. Michael Mick Ryan. Lee:- Mick thanks very much for joining me in the umpires corner, you have been involved with our association for over 30 years, so it s an honour to have you join me, I just wanted to know how you got into the umpiring in the first place? Mick:- Well what happened was I cut my thumb of at work and I got very lazy, and I was starting to get a bit fat. So my mum said to me when I was 20 or 21, you d better do something and she was reading the paper one day when she found an add looking for people to try out for umpiring so that s how it all started. Lee:- And when was that Mick, maybe around 1980? Mick: Lee:- And when you first came down was it the Panton Hill League or the Diamond Valley league you started out for or was it still one division back then? Mick:- Diamond Valley, and it had two divisions and I believe it was the second year that they had two divisions. Lee:- And just when you first go started as a young man on the boundary, who were some of the early influences on your boundary umpiring career, Bobby Mutton perhaps? Mick:- Bobby Mutton, Fred Aston and George Harrod. Lee:- And was there anyone else who took you under their wing when you first got started? Mick:- Well the very first night I went there, Sexy Rex Griffen who was a field umpire back then, he was a huge man, him and a local solicitor from Greensborough Sam Customano, they weren t real athletes but I used to train with them for a while cause I couldn t keep up with rest of them. Lee:- And some of your memories from your early days, they were very much mud heaps. Was it tough going on the boundary back in those days? Mick:- Yeah, the grounds weren t as good as they are now back in those days that s for sure. Lee:- And when you first got started in the boundary ranks, did you make it very quickly into A grade and what were some of your early highlights in your career like finals etc.? Mick:- In my case, I did 37 B grade games before I did my first A grade game and that was a big thrill and I think I did 2 A grade games toward the end of that season. The first one I did was at South Morang and Kevin Bulldog Murray (ex Fitzroy player) was coach and talking to him I found was a big thrill. I remember my first Grand final in C grade back in 1986, was Brian Morrison s first year and I did the Grand final with him and Cam Mc Pherson who was running the boundary back then and that was a good day, up at Epping. Lee:- I know you did a few Grand Finals, but I also remember you telling me you did interleague representing our league back in the day, that must have been a thrill also? Mick:- Yeah, it was with Dick Norman and Steve Snelson who used to be a VFL umpire back in the day. We were down at Bonbeach that day, Garry Wilson was coaching the other team.

2 Lee:- You did some 370 odd A Grade games I think it was, and I tried working out how many Kilometres you might have run back in the day, maybe 4000 kilometres or something like that on the boundary? Mick:- I think it was 376 A Grade games and in the A grade it would have been a few, I m not sure how many. Lee:- They reckon they are averaging around 15 Kilometres a game now, so back in your time considering the grounds and the pace of the game it might have been a bit less than that, maybe around 8 to 10 kilometres per game? Mick:- It would have been more than that, you would have been doing more than that even in a reserves game back then. Because a lot of people don t know certainly I know, it doesn t matter if you re an on baller or mid fielder as they call it now, no footballer runs as much as the Boundary Umpire. No one on the ground runs as much as the Boundary umpire including the Field, did you know that? Lee:- Yeah, I was well aware of that mate, having run the Boundary myself remember. Mick:- Oh sure, well a lot of people aren t aware of that, but put that in to stick it up the field umpires (Ha, Ha, Ha!!) Lee:- So working it out we are talking maybe 4000 kilometres in the amount of running you did or from Melbourne to Perth in terms of distance just in the A Grade alone and then you include B grade and finals and all that it is certainly a lot of running in that time isn t it? Mick:- Yeah, probably more mate. Lee:- And at the same time did you start taking up Field Umpiring? Mick:- I took up field umpiring late. I did my last A Grade boundary game in 2009 out at Parkside, and I was doing under 19 s in the morning and running A grade boundary in the afternoon. I think the next year was when Kevin Smith took over as coach and he taught me and I thought I might do a few reserves games and see how it goes and I liked it. Lee:- And did you get a crack at A grade in the field I don t remember? Mick:- No I ve done 70 odd games as a field umpire at reserves level. Lee:- I know you did junior finals at that time, so just some of your highlights from your days in the field, and did anyone in particular help you out when you first got started? Mick:- Yes, Neil Connybear was the guy in the early days that encouraged me to do it but I didn t get around to it, but Brian Morrison asked me to help him on a Sunday and he also encouraged me a lot and ran with me a few times so it was really him that helped get me into it. I just regret no getting started earlier. Lee:- And just some of the really good boundaries that you ran with, (it s probably tough to name them all) but just some of the top ones that you ran with? Mick:- Wayne Arnold, Bobby Mutton, Fred Aston, and Darren Parsons used to go alright. Lee:- And the field umpires that you ran with, I know it s a different level at B grade but just some of the better fieldies you ran with? Mick:- I can t really think of anyone. Lee:- One of things that scared me with you, was that day out at Watsonia when you had some health issues, was that something that gave you a bit of a wakeup call? Mick:- The thing about it is, in my whole umpiring career I never ever left the ground. I left the ground twice and came back on and this is a bit funny, as it was for a toilet break and then I just ran back on the ground. Lee:- But on that day that was that a pretty frighting experience and it almost ended your career yeah?

3 Mick:- Well I never left the ground. Lee:- Well you did come back, but it must have taken a while for the league to clear you, and it must have taken a lot of courage also so did you find it difficult to come back from that? Mick:- Like everyone else you occasionally have health issues, but once I went back I felt healthier. Lee:- One of the things that you have always pushed is the young people coming through and you were a great help with my daughter, so is that something you liked doing the most, just helping the young people? Mick:- Sure, I got my own kids so you know I like helping out and I have to remember that I got help as a young guy coming through with advise and things. And you like to see young people kick on and be the best they can be and just have fun. Lee:- And that s certainly something you have always pushed just having fun isn t it? Mick:- Oh yeah, in my career I liked to have a laugh and some fun, and I never really cared what anyone thought about that, that was just me. I enjoyed myself and there might have been the odd person who didn t like that, but I found to be the best I could be that s what I had to do. Lee:- Continuing that theme then, what about some of the other likeminded umpires who liked a laugh or who you enjoyed having fun with? Mick:- Yeah, Neil Webb, Neil Connybear for sure. Just for encouragement especially when you first get started and you are feeling nervous, they made you feel at ease on the ground and I learned that when I first started, so I feel we have to make the young people feel at ease on the ground because umpiring is not easy and it takes courage and I m very impressed by the young people and the courage they show. Lee:- And what about some of the hijinks and things that went on back in the George Court days? Mick:- We did an 8 kilometre training run, (and I could run a bit in those days) with Wayne Arnold, whom I used to train with as we lived near each other. And there was a big group of umpires, Wayne myself and I think Morro and Steve Snelson up the front trying to outdo each other, with a kilometre to go the bus stopped at Yallambie road and out hopped Ivan White, Joe Darmenia, Neil Connybear and Neil Webb and they all started jogging ahead of us. We passed them but surprisingly they finished ahead of most of the pack. Another time on a night ahead of the finals, the group headed off on a 6 kilometre run when Connybear and Webb asked me to talk to them as the group left. We walked half a lap and when we saw the group heading back we waited for a gap and did a slow 100 metre jog to the rooms. At an association meeting one time someone was speaking and it was fairly quite when we heard a very loud what I would call an explosion, the door opened and there was a rousing applause as it was Mal Cooper at it again. He had some fluencence and it echoed so loud it deserved the applause and standing ovation it got. It made the boring meeting something to remember. Lee:- On of the things that really gave me a thrill was the night you were awarded the Brian Morrison trophy from our association for your life time of achievements and dedication and efforts towards umpires and umpiring and I know you would have been tickled pink to get that award, so what that a real highlight for you? Mick:- Oh it certainly was yeah, because as I said I ran with Brian the first year he came back from the VFL in the Grand Final in 1986, and what you get from Brian is a model of dedication and being the best you can be, and character as well. He was the full package of what people should aspire to be in umpiring ranks. Lee:- Just back on the old George court days, I mentioned some of the shenanigans that went on. But what was the atmosphere like then? Mick:- Oh look for me personally they were happier times, and that s not to take anything away from today. What I mean is I miss those days. And there s a lot of people who have passed on over the years and that s sad, but that s life. Lee:- And obviously you stopped last season, when your Dad was having some health issues yes?

4 Mick:- He had a stroke yeah, but he s going alright his 84. And I ve probably spent a bit more time with my parents. Also my business has been taking up a lot of weekends as well. Lee:- So that s pretty much the reason why you haven t been coming down recently, and you told me you were a bit shy, but you shouldn t be considering your achievements. You should be very proud to be part of the greater umpiring community particularly from my point of view. That s certainly one of things from my point of view the friendships and mateship you make over the years, is that the same for you? Mick:- Yes the people that you meet, you could be walking down the streets anywhere in the world on holiday and run into them, and you can just catch up from where you left off. Footy clubs, there s not much loyalty there people stay for a few years and there gone. Umpiring is different, when you umpire you re an umpire for life. Lee:- I see it as similar to the Australian Defence force, not sacrificing your life of course but the friendships and mateships you form. The signals and precision that we have and the bonds that you make. The Brotherhood of umpiring, which is the way that I see it in my life personally and I guess it s much the same for you yes? Mick:- Well I ve never served in the ADF, but I know there s a great mateship there. But in the umpiring where only a small team out on the ground so we have to stick together out there, because it s not an easy gig. Lee:- And any scary experiences out there for you. I spoke to Darren Agnew about the incident at Lalor Stars, so was there any days that you walked away and said gee I m glad that s over? Mick:- I ve never been scared personally, but I got tangled up with a player who was on the ground one day at Eltham in the mud, and somehow I ran on top of him and did a full 360 degrees twist, and for a second there my foot was lodged under his body somewhere and I had no control but it was luck my foot somehow slipped out or he somehow moved or I would have been gone. And I remember going for a run one day in Watsonia when I nearly got cleaned up. Lee:- The players are what the games about, and one the blokes I was scared of as a young fella was big Spider Shaw at North Heidelberg. Was there any players that you formed good relationships with over the years? Mick:- Derek Shaw, he was a very good friend of mine over the years. Lee:- What about the state of the game now, training has been a really big thing now in our association. Do you think the speed of the game and quality of the game has improved over the years? Mick:- The game has changed a lot to protect players, you don t see the amount of players getting carted off in ambulances especially with head injuries like we used to see and that s a good thing, I think. But I don t like the way the game s played these days, like kicking backwards all the time and that tempo rubbish. Lee:- And just the comradeship we speak about sometimes between the Boundaries and the goalies, very different types of people. And I was at you for years to join the good side of the force in the goal umpiring and ended up giving up on you. But did have a good relationship with some of the Goal Umpires over the years? Mick:- Yeah, with Dick Norman and John Civerella. And Jonny was a funny man, I remember the very first game he ever got, he was sent to a game which was cancelled or a walkover cause they didn t have enough players. John got up at the association meeting and Neil Connybear was president and John abused him. He said I was all excited about my first game and there was no game, what s going on, and he really went off his face. And that was one of the funniest things I have ever seen at an association meeting. And another one is Mal Cooper he s a card, he is. Lee:- Well I can tell you that you were definitely a huge influence on my career when I first got started on the boundary, that s for sure and you have always been a great help to my daughter, so I can t thankyou enough and that s one of the reasons I nominated you for the Brain Morrison award, so I do hope to see you around the association again, so is there anything that you d like to leave us with for the young boundaries that you would like to impart on them to help them out?

5 Mick:- Well I think if you want to run Boundary and you want to do it well, you have to work hard and do your games and get your experience up. Because when I started I was just over weight, lazy and hadn t run for a few years so if I can do it anyone can. The transformation you know, but with boundary umpiring there are no short cuts, so if don t want to do the hard work don t do it. Do the field instead (Ha! Ha!). I hope you say that, if don t want to do the hard work become a field umpire, or a goal umpire boom, boom!!