2013 Super Division Umpires Manager - Sumesh Putra

Sumesh started umpiring in 1980, not because he wanted to umpire but because he was selected by his club to represent them as an umpire in their league matches.

Little did he envision that he’d be good at it. If fact word of mouth spread about his abilities that League officials came to watch him umpire. Under the tutelage of John, Narinder and Alan, Sumesh evolved from a casual umpire to being appointed to umpire the top league matches and even umpiring the National team practice matches. Just six years after he started umpiring, he was appointed to umpire at the National Championship in 1986.

This encouraged and prompted Sumesh to entertain the idea of becoming an international umpire which led him to obtain the FIH Level I badge in 1990 and Lever II just 2 years later.

But in 1992, Sumesh and his wife started a family which led to his withdrawal from active umpiring. In 1995 he was appointed to a tournament in Italy and was told by FHC that if he turned this appointment down he would be put on the inactive list. After having talked it over with his wife and with the kids a little older & manageable, it seemed the right time to continue his umpiring career.

In short order, he made the World Panel list in 1997 and continued umpiring until his retirement in 2007. In this span, he had umpired two Olympics, three World Cups, two Champions Trophy, The Commonwealth Games, PanAm Games, four Qualifiers and a host of other prestigious tournaments. All in all, he retired his umpiring career with 127 international matches.

Then, just as his wife finally thought she had her husband back to herself, he started the next phase of his Umpiring career as an Umpires Manager. And so, the journey continues…..

Asked why he umpired field hockey and what keeps him going on, he said, “Through it all, I can honestly say the one factor that kept me going was the fact that I truly, truly enjoyed umpiring and the friendships you attain. You really need to have a desire, passion and self confidence to WANT to be out on the hockey pitch and as you progress on; the desire to want the crucial games in any tournament never wanes”.

This will be his fourth trip to California Cup and second as the umpire manager.