New South Wales` umpire Sharon Kelly is looking forward to the challenge of the 2007 World Championships.

This will be Sharon’s second World Championships and this time has also been honoured with selection as the Australian representative on the umpire’s panel alongside; Marion Johnson-Hurley from Barbados, Dalton Hinds from Jamaica, Bobbi Brown, Bronwyn Meek, David Pala’amo and Pauline Sciascia from New Zealand, Maggie Du Plessis from South Africa and Anne Marie Dixon from Trinidad & Tobago.

The 17 umpires who will officiate at the 2007 New World Netball World Championships have been appointed by the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA).

Seven will take part in their first World Championships; Nikki Boyd, Kate Wright, Jacqui Jashari and Paula Ferguson from Australia, Chris Campbell from Jamaica, Alison Cormack and Mandy Nottingham from New Zealand and Anne Abraitis from Scotland.

Sharon Kelly has extensive experience as an elite level umpire, having officiated at three Commonwealth Games in 1998, 2002 and 2006 and been awarded “Netball Australia’s Umpire of the Year” a record five times (2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006).

Kelly is looking forward to the upcoming World Championships not only for the high level of competition expected between the countries but also the challenges the competition will present.

“Every team has a unique style of play which is slightly different from here in Australia. That always makes the World Championships interesting and challenge to umpire,” she said.

As the most experienced Australian umpire traveling to Auckland for the 2007 New World Netball World Championships, to be held from November 10 to 17, Kelly had some words of advice to her fellow umpires: “Just treat every game as a new game, learn from every game and most of all enjoy the experience!”

Tell me more about Sharon.