The Young Umpires Project (YUP) once again proved its value at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar, bringing together a strong group of young officials and providing them with opportunities to learn, exchange experiences and build connections within the European umpiring community.
A total of 33 young umpires, approximately 30 years of age or younger, from 12 ETTU Member Associations were nominated and selected to officiate at the Championships. They represented 42 per cent of the entire umpire group, underlining the significant presence of the new generation of officials at one of ETTU’s major events.
As part of the initiative, the ETTU Umpires and Referees Committee (URC) organised four development activities before and during the Championships. The programme began with a three-hour online training session on 28 June, followed by a full-day workshop in Gondomar on 9 July.
On 11 July, the YUP participants gathered for a welcome meeting, where they were greeted by ETTU Vice-President Ina JOZEPSONE. Her presence underlined the importance ETTU places on the Young Umpires Project and the continued development of the next generation of match officials.
The programme concluded with a social evening and team-building activity on 16 July, designed to strengthen connections and encourage networking among the young umpires.
Hanspeter WOERNER, Mircea STEFF, Decio FAUSTINO, Emily KNUTSSON and Asko RASINEN hosted the evening, sharing stories from their careers, memorable moments from major events and some of the more unusual and entertaining experiences they have encountered along the way.
Beyond technical education, the activities in Gondomar highlighted another important element of the project – giving young officials the opportunity to meet their peers, exchange experiences and become part of a wider European umpiring network.
With 33 young umpires involved in the European Youth Championships, the initiative once again demonstrated ETTU’s ability to attract a new generation of officials. The experience in Gondomar also reinforced the importance of combining education and practical experience with networking and social interaction as part of their development.
