England Netball would like to wish international umpire Jackie Mizon the best of luck as she departs to officiate at the Constellation Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The Constellation Cup is seen as the perpetual symbol of the intense rivalry between the Australian Diamonds and the New Zealand Silver Ferns.
Prior to her departure later today, England Netball caught up with Jackie to see what she was expecting from her latest international appointment:
“It’s such an honour to be appointed to the Constellation Cup again having been first appointed in 2014. It’s always a privilege being able to work with elite players and coaches on the world stage.
“I always aim to sustain a high level of consistency and be the best umpire I can be. I had a great experience at the Quad Series recently and I have some good insight going into this series.”
When asked about her preparation the two time Netball Superleague Final umpire said: “In order for me to be a confident and resilient umpire I have developed a mental toolkit to help me achieve my goals. I focus on what I need to do to create my ‘A game’ before every match and I always analyse my performance.
“This allows me to acknowledge what I did well and the areas I want to work on. It’s not always easy but I believe it is a vital part of any umpires preparation and growth and it needs to be addressed.
“Alongside my structured fitness timetable it has most definitely worked for me and has allowed me to umpire at the highest level.”
Jackie also offered her best piece of advice for up and coming umpires: “You have to be committed to working hard to achieve your goals. You need to have a deep understanding of the rules, have confidence in your own ability and a meticulous approach. Always ensure you bring your ‘A game’ to every match you umpire, no matter the level or standard.”
Gary Burgess, England Netball Officiating Manager said of Mizon: “Jackie is one of our busiest IUA’s having only just returned from umpiring at the inaugural Netball Quad Series in Australia and New Zealand.
“Jackie’s professionalism and attention to detail is second to none and her dedication to the development of other umpires is a real credit to her.
“Jackie treats all of her appointments with the respect they deserve and puts a lot into her pre-tournament preparation to ensure that she has exploited all of the marginal gains open to her.”
The Constellation Cup will be played out over four test matches in Sydney (8th Oct), Launceston (12th Oct), Auckland (15th Oct) and Invercagill (20th Oct).
