UMPIRE GED CURRAN SELECTED FOR LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS

There was good news for one Scot just after Christmas when Dundonian Ged Curran was informed that he had been selected to umpire hockey at the London 2012 Olympics.

Ged started his Hockey at St John's High School in 1979, as a 12 year old, then played for Lawside FP before moved to Dundee Wanderers, playing in a variety of positions from goalkeeper to left wing, midfield and eventually left back

In 1992 he went to a Menzieshill Indoor Tournament at the Dick McTaggart Sports Centre and due to shortage of umpires and, having do some Club umpiring, he offered to help out and it was there that former Olympic Umpire Craig Madden told Ged he though he had a future as an umpiring.

At the age of 25 he began to umpire regularly in the National leagues, Outdoor and Indoor, though still playing for Moray House College in Edinburgh where he was a PE student.

In 1995 Ged umpired his first outdoor international match in Genoa and has now umpired 95 Senior International matches which included at four Champions Trophy tournaments, doing the Finals at Lahore, Melbourne and Mönchengladbach.

He also umpired finals of both Champions Challenge 2 in Dublin and Champions Challenge 1 in December at Johannesburg, was reserve umpire for outdoor World Cup Final in New Delhi in 2010 and umpired the final of the Indoor World Cup in Poznan last year.

Looking back on what has been a very successful umpiring career Ged is well aware of those who have been major influences including umpires Frank Moran from Dundee Wanderers, Craig Madden and Norrie Urquhart,  Henrik Ehlers from Denmark, Clive McMurray in South Africa, Don Prior from Australia and Ray O'Connor from Ireland.

Another key factor for Ged has been the support he has had from Dundee City Council Education Department, Fiona McLagan the new head teacher at St John's RC, where Ged is Principal Teacher of Physical Education, and her predecessor George Haggarty, plus the St John's PE department staff for their continued support. And above all to his wife Ali and children Molly, Mark and Paul for putting up with his continued absences from home

Credit for story and photo: Jim Shepherd.

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