Warrnambool and District Football Umpires Association announces 2020 coaches

Downie, who will also be field coach, is believed to be the first female to hold the positions.

It is a return to familiar territory for the Warrnambool Base Hospital nurse who umpired her first game as a teenager in Gippsland.

Now 36, the mother-of-two and stepmother-of-three said the time was right to jump back in.

"I haven't been in umpiring for four years now, so getting back into it I can't wait to do," she said of the 2020 season.

"I grew up with umpiring. My dad (Shane) is an umpire and a coach and I umpired.

"I started when I was 15 and now my son (Campbell Pedler) is umpiring."

Downie, who moved to Warrnambool in 2015, umpired in the Gippsland region and also spent 10 years with Latrobe Valley umpires association, winning a golden whistle award.

Her dad will be a sounding board who will help her transition into her new roles.

"My dad was coach in Albury - O&M league and O&K," she said.

"I spoke with him and he said 'you know the umpiring, you've got a good background because you've followed me since you were little and you've umpired, give it a go'.

"He is a very good support system for me if I am worried about anything or if I have questions."

Downie said umpire development and ensuring a fun, friendly environment were her priorities.

She wants senior umpires to help fast-track those coming through the WDFUA.

"At the end of the day, Hampden league is your major league football and that's what everyone strives for and they all want the senior grand final at the end of the year," she said.

"But you're going to have to work for it and work hard."

Downie said she was determined to embrace the challenge and "give it a go" after moving from the emergency department at the hospital freed up her weekends.

"I've just changed roles into more of a community side of things now which is good and that is why I can take on the opportunity to do this sort of role (with the umpires)," she said.

"Previously as a shift worker it was very hard to do too much whereas now I am only working through the week I have the opportunity to do these things.

"It is such a family club and that's what I love about it. Everybody is accepted.

"My thing in the role is involving everybody without being too in charge because I am not like that at all."

Nathan Hoy was reinstated as boundary coach for a second season and David Dunn will remain as goal coach for a third year.

Warrnambool and District league starts on March 28 and Hampden league kicks off on April 4.

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