World Netball, on Jan. 24, announced the appointment of Vincentian Moeth Gaymes as an international talent identified umpire (ITID).
Gaymes, who has been umpiring within the region for over 10 years, has gone through the various stages of both written and practical assessment. With this appointment, he is poised to umpire matches for teams ranked 11 and below as well as international youth events, the SVG Netball Association said in a press release.
“Following the Americas Netball World Cup Qualifiers where Gaymes was assessed, we are proud that our recommendation and that of the assessors were accepted. The next level for Mr. Gaymes is to attain the status of International Umpire’s Award (IUA). This will see him being selected to umpire matches for teams ranked 1 to 10 and also umpiring major international events,” the association said in a statement.
Gaymes, who is the chairperson for the local umpires committee, will be responsible for working with people wanting to umpire locally and regionally.
“This is a great achievement for Mr. Gaymes and netball in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The SVG Netball Association congratulates Mr. Gaymes on this very prestigious appointment and wish him every success as he continues the journey to attaining an IUA status,” the statement said.
President Natasha Baptiste, commenting on the announcement, said:
“Great achievements are accomplished through hard work, dedication and commitment and Mr. Gaymes is a true demonstration of such. This appointment continues to elevate the sport of netball in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, not just in playing the sport, but also in the area of officiating. We trust that Moeth’s achievement would be a motivation and encouragement to our young umpires.”
Gaymes credits this achievement to Almighty God, saying, “It means far more than we might imagine.
“Just imagine we move from having only advanced umpires of which we’ve had the most at one point in the region, to having our first ITID. Not only does it put us in a position for our name to be mentioned as a participating country but also a competitive force to be reckoned with. This is truly the work of God in my life showing all things are possible if one tries.”
The SVG Netball Association will conduct weekly umpiring sessions beginning on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the Kingstown Netball Centre. Gaymes will coordinate and conduct the sessions.