EVERY Saturday morning during cricket season, Phil Rainger leaves his Taree home and drives to Newcastle to umpire matches.
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"Saturdays in the summer are cricket time,'' the 49-year-old explained.
He's been umpiring for 19 years, starting in the Narrabri area before he moved to the Manning and decided to officiate in Newcastle.
Rainger was recognised by Country Cricket NSW when he was named the Country Cricket Umpire of the Year. He is also this week's Manning River Times-Iguana Sport Award winner, earning a $50 voucher from Iguana.
He was a reluctant starter as an umpire.
"I was living and playing in Narrabri and our club president wanted to run an (umpire's) course, because they were struggling for numbers,'' he recalled.
"I passed the course, but had no intentions of actually umpiring too much. Then I started to do a few games and got some favourable reports and was asked politely to make a choice between playing and umpiring.
"I picked umpiring.''
He's officiated in some major games - a T20 at Coffs Harbour between Hong Kong and the Sydney Sixers; he's been to the Australian Country Championships twice and has controlled first grade games in Sydney. He was in the middle for a City/Country under 16 match at the SCG and at the same venue for the first finals of the Regional Big Bash which were played under lights.
Memorable
"The first time I umpired at the SCG was memorable,'' he said.
He opted to umpire in Newcastle after moving to this area.
"I like umpiring two day games and there's none here,'' he explained.
"Two day cricket tests you out mentally - making sure you're on top of the ball in the 90th over of the day,'' he said.
Rainger was a top order bat and a wicket keeper in his playing days at Narrabri and Moree.
"But I couldn't bowl to save myself,'' he quickly added.
Rainger spends much of his time controlling sport. He's the president of the Group Three Rugby League Referees' Association and starts the new season this weekend.
He's also a Level 6 touch football referee - the game's highest qualification. Rainger was asked to referee in the touch football World Cup to be played in England this year, but declined.
"I'm on the NSW Referee's panel and I want to do more coaching to get the next group of referees coming through,'' he said.
The umpire of the year is decided by NSW Country coaches and is judged on attitude, preparation and decision making.
Rainger intends to umpire for a few more seasons yet, saying that the job keeps him involved in the game.
"My wife's happy to kick me out every Saturday and I have a couple of goals I want to achieve for next summer,'' he said.
"I've never umpired a Country final so that's an ambition.''
