Jeremy England

Having joined the softball world in 1973, Jeremy was a dedicated player who competed in 3 National Junior Tournaments, winning top batter in the Junior Schoolboy’s tournament in 1979. 1983 saw him step back from playing, taking his first role behind the dish at Redwood Park, where he has remained a member of the Wellington Softball Umpire’s association since.

Growing in confidence, Jeremy gained his New Zealand’s umpires’ badge in 1990 and over the next six seasons, dedicated much of his time to climbing the ranks and earning his Level 6 qualification. Since then, Jeremy has spent the last 28 years consistently umpiring both regional and national tournaments including (but not limited to) the Cardinals Classic, Saint’s Tournament, Vic Guth, Dean Schick, NZ Evergreen’s and the TAB Challenge Cup to name a few. His passion for umpiring has taken him around New Zealand and abroad, with several adventures across the ditch as a New Zealand representative official; Australian Marsters games, Gilley’s Shield, Australian Men’s Open Champs and the Brisbane Softball Classic to name a few. But he didn’t stop there! Travelling further from home saw Jeremy officiate the 2012 Junior Men’s World Championships in Argentina and the 2014 ISC World Tournament in Canada, where he achieved his career highlight of working the final.

His accolades and administrative roles are many, but he has contributed significantly to the development of our sport. He has remained the president of the Wellington Softball Umpires association since his appointment in 1999. He has presented at the Central Region Umpire’s Clinic each year since 2004, training umpires of all ages and skill levels. He was a committed and passionate member of the Wellington Softball Association executive from 1998 – 2017, with an appointment as the Central Region Director of Umpiring from 2014 until stepping down in 2022.

Having received an Umpiring Service award from Softball New Zealand in 2009, and having spent a further 15 years developing our sport, and its officials, it is only fitting to have Jeremy awarded a much-deserved Distinguished Service Award for his unwavering dedication, passion and enthusiasm as an Umpire spanning four (4) decades.