Three coastal cricket umpires have taken another important step in their officiating careers after successfully completing the CSA Level 2 Umpiring Course hosted by Cricket Namibia at the FNB Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek.
Scott Winborn, Helmut Mack and Willem Prinsloo successfully completed the course, strengthening the pool of qualified match officials available to serve cricket at national level.
Facilitated by Match Official Coach Tom Mokorosi from Cricket South Africa, the course gave the umpires an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the game, sharpen their decision-making skills and gain valuable experience as they prepare for the next stage of their careers. For Mack, the qualification represents far more than a certificate.
“It means a lot to me. It gives us another level up, another step that we climbed together,” he said. Mack said the knowledge gained would not only benefit the three umpires but could also be passed on to others trying to find their way into the sport. “It helps us to understand better and, of course, to open doors to bigger paths with bigger ambitions. It also helps us to build knowledge that we can bring back and share with those who have been waiting for a long time to get somewhere.”
He said the ultimate goal was to contribute to the development of cricket as a whole. “By all of us standing together, we can pull the rope better and steer the boat in the right direction, and in general, improve cricket for the future.” Mack’s sights are already set on the next challenge, International Level 2, with Level 3 potentially following later.
For Winborn, the qualification is similarly viewed as another step in the right direction. “It’s just a step in the right direction,” he said, adding that his immediate priority is to gain more experience before working towards Level 3.
Prinsloo also expressed his appreciation to Cricket Namibia and everyone involved in the training process, with special recognition for Mokorosi, who travelled from South Africa to facilitate the course. He described the opportunity as one that comes “once in a lifetime” and said he was grateful to have been part of it.
Prinsloo’s ambitions extend beyond umpiring. He would like to use his experience and knowledge to contribute to the development of young cricketers and eventually become involved in training.
The three officials said their progress would not have been possible without the support of the people working behind the scenes in Namibian cricket. Their achievement highlights the importance of developing match officials alongside players and coaches, while creating pathways for Namibians to progress within the sport.
For Winborn, Mack and Prinsloo, the CSA Level 2 qualification is therefore not the end of the journey, it is another starting point as they look towards higher levels of officiating and greater opportunities to contribute to Namibian cricket.
By Rudi Bowe
