Season 2001/02 - Year 1

2001/02 kicked off wildly exceeding everybody’s expectations. Armed with the "original 13" as well as another 12 or 13 members referred to Shires by Peter Hughes at the NSWCU&SA, season one was a runaway success with all 1st Grade games getting umpires every match and about 40-50% of 2nd Grade matches also getting umpires, with the number of members available each weekend averaging around twenty to twenty-two. In January 2002, twenty-one members of the Association met at the South Sydney Graphic Arts Club in Mascot and held a meeting at which the Sydney Shires Cricket Umpires Association was officially formed. At this meeting Peter Turner was formally voted in as Association President, Stephen Blomfield as Honorary Secretary and Appointments Officer, and Gordon Smith as Treasurer. There was a total of 31 umpires registered for membership in this season, although quite a number of these members only umpired a few games or decided to be inactive. A membership levy of $10 per member was struck in the first season and the NSWCU&SA kindly elected to donate a sum of money, totaling $310, to pay for each member in this inaugural season. Also during this season, for the first time ever, a group of umpires solely dedicated to officiate in Shires matches were allowed to umpire finals series matches, rather than having Grade umpires fill this role. Bruce Parfett and Stuart Yeend were the first two Shires umpires to officiate in a Shires 1st Grade Grand Final, this match being won by the Lindfield Club. These two members were also appointed to the Frank Gray (Under 24's) Grand Final. The Inaugural Umpire of the Year award was taken out by Bruce Parfett.