BRIGG SPORTSMEN & WOMEN MIGHT CONSIDER PUTTING SOMETHING BACK INTO THE GAME

Former sportsmen and sportswomen living in the Brigg area might give a thought to putting something back into the team game(s) they once enjoyed.
This can be as volunteers working behind the scenes; as umpires and referees of which there always seems to be a local shortage; or as cricket scorers (keeping tally of the runs scored and wickets taken).
This is the first season for 48 years we haven't had an active role in local cricket.
But we still plan to visit the Recreation Ground, off Wrawby Road, to report on Brigg Town home matches for our blog and to join fellow spectators, including many ex-players, on the boundary's edge.
We appeared on the field for Brigg Town from 1974 to 2004, then umpired week in, week out across northern Lincolnshire for the next 11 seasons.
Having served as an official of various leagues since the late 1970s, we finally called 'time' at the Lincolnshire County Cricket League annual general meeting last autumn after a 20-year association with this competition as an official/committee member.
This AGM ended our active involvement with the sport at local level.
Our view is people who enjoy any sport as players should consider putting something back into the game after retiring - either behind the scenes or as on-field umpires or referees.
Match officials are in short supply. If panel-appointed refs and umpires can't be found, clubs have to provide someone from within their ranks, which can  even mean one, or more, players filling in.
We retired from playing hockey for Brigg 18 years ago, and a recent visit to watch a Brigg men's match on the all-weather pitch at the Rec Ground highlighted how some rules have changed since 'our day'.
The original ones were drawn up while games were all played on grass; it's a very different sport on today's all-weather surfaces.
Goals which, decades ago, would have been ruled out for obstruction in the circle by the scorer now stand. And that's a definite change for the better.
Lifting/scooping the ball above head height - a skill which adds much to a free-flowing game - has also developed whereas (in grass days) it might well have been interpreted as dangerous play.
All-weather pitches (with floodlights) allow up to four games to be played on the same day while only one was possible in the grass era.
So umpires can, in theory, stand in several successive men's and/or ladies' games on a Saturday from late morning onwards.
If anyone reading this post wishes to take up umpiring or refereeing, email Brigg Blog and we will provide some contacts.

PICTURED: Match officials at Brigg Recreation Ground... football, cricket and hockey. George Armstrong (from Broughton), seen here watching a Brigg club game at the Rec, became a long-serving hockey and cricket umpire after he retired from playing.