Congratulations to the following GFUL members of the VCFL V/Line Academy, on their recent appointments to the V/Line Cup in Melbourne on 2nd, 3rd and 4th April:

Field - Tim Callander, Jake O'Brien and James Milligan
Boundary - Tim Larkins, Adam Bell and David Cooling
Goal:  Matthew Robertson and Luke McLean.

Having eight representatives from the GFUL appointed to the V/Line is a tremedous feather in the cap for our development programs.

GFUL members of the VCFL Umpiring Academy, who have been successful in gaining selection in the 2007 V/Line U/15 Championships to be held in Melbourne on 2 - 4 April, are as follows:

Field Umpires - Jake O'Brien, James Milligan and Tim Callander
Boundary Umpires - Tim Larkins, Adam Bell and David Cooling
Goal Umpires - Matthew Robertson and Luke McLean.

Their selection follows closely on the heels of the  appointments of twins, Renel and Reniel Wackett, as Field Umpires in the V/Line Cup U/16 Champioships. 

To add even further glory and prestige to the GFUL, Coaches Jason Hillgrove and Tim Anderson have also been selected as Field and Boundary Umpire Coaches respectively, to the V/Line U/15 Cup.

I am sure all GFUL members and football supporters throughout the Geelong region, join me in offering all of the selections our sincere congratulations and best wishes for a successful V/Line Championships. 

GFUL umpires who made up the two teams of four to represent the GFUL in the Barwon Banks Fun Run 10 Klm Relay held last Sunday 25th February 2007, have given new meaning to the term “Running Umpires”.   Not only did the team comprising Justin Morris, James Stephenson, Steve Trotter and Adam Bell win the race in record time, our second team, comprising David Cooling, Mark Bushfield, Jake Robertson and Justin Morris, yes Justin Morris ran a relay leg for both teams, were runners up in the event.
Just to make sure the GFUL Umpires completely cleaned up on the day, Adam Bell won the lucky number prize.  The boys looked and ran very professionally in their new GFUL Running Singlets, which had been donated by our Major Sponsor, Metricon Homes.    Metricon would have been extremely pleased with the result considering all other runners in the event would have been looking at the Metricon Logo on the backs of the GFUL runners throughout the event, because they were always running behind them.    Other Runners to participate in the individual events included, Murray Fanning, Dennis Hargreaves, Scott McLeod and Tim Anderson, apologies to anty others I may have missed.   Not a bad days effort and proves the advantage in fitness that those umpires regularly attending pre-season training will have over all of the late starters.   The GFUL intend to enter some of our fittest runners in a handicap event to be conducted at an athletics carnival  at Goldsworthy Reserve in a few weeks.    Competing in these events will also put us in good stead for the up coming Grand Finalists Challenge early in April.