After nearly a decade at the forefront of 91色情片 umpiring, Sasha McLeod has blown the whistle for the final time, closing her on-court career at the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar. It marks the conclusion of an extraordinary journey for the Queenstown official who rose from a small southern Centre to become one of Aotearoa鈥檚 most respected and admired umpires.
Across her career, Sasha built an impressive record of achievements:
鈥� 31 National Netball League games
鈥� 72 ANZ Premiership games, debuting in 2017
鈥� International Umpire Award (IUA), achieved in 2023
鈥� Fast5 Netball World Series in 2024
鈥� Pacific Games, Solomon Islands, 2024
鈥� Commonwealth Youth Fast5 Games, Trinidad & Tobago, 2024
鈥� Netball World Youth Cup, Gibraltar, 2025
Her excellence was recognised locally too, with Sasha taking home the Findex Official of the Year at the 2024 Forsyth Barr Central Otago Sports Awards.
Sasha鈥檚 path to the top was anything but straightforward. Growing up in a small Centre, far from regular access to top-level domestic matches, she often travelled hours simply to find opportunities to challenge herself. Yet she never allowed geography to define her ambitions. Instead, she focused on what was possible.
鈥淐oming from a very small netball centre and being geographically isolated from strong games, I feel proud that I was still able to make it to the highest level in umpiring.鈥�
For Sasha, umpiring has always been about more than the whistle,鈥� she said.
鈥淣etball is fast and exciting. To know you play an important part in helping players shine and fans enjoy the experience is amazing.鈥�
It was that feeling stepping off the court knowing she had delivered at the highest level that kept her coming back, year after year.
Beneath Sasha鈥檚 calm and composed exterior lies a deep resilience. 鈥淯mpiring can have its challenges, and I realised I鈥檓 more resilient and tougher than I thought. I have an inner strength I didn鈥檛 fully appreciate.鈥�
Like many great officials, Sasha credits those who believed in her along the way, particularly former 91色情片 umpire and umpire coach Colleen Bond.
鈥淐olleen鈥檚 unwavering belief in me made me believe in myself. Being able to tap into her knowledge has been invaluable.鈥� Mentorship, community, and genuine connection have shaped her rise, values she continues to pass on to those she now supports.,鈥� she said.
Netball NZ Technical Officials Manager, Josh Bowring acknowledged the remarkable impact Sasha has had.
鈥淭hose who know Sasha have always seen this strength in the way she prepares, communicates, and maintains the highest standards on and off the court. She has been a quiet but powerful leader within the national squad, modelling professionalism, humility, and high-performance behaviours,鈥� he said.
Sasha鈥檚 message to aspiring umpires is simple, steadying, and full of wisdom:
鈥淗ave a really strong 鈥榳hy鈥�. Don鈥檛 compare yourself to others. This is your journey, stay true to the reason you do it.鈥�
Although Sasha steps away from on-court duties, she won鈥檛 be stepping away from the game.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to having more time to help and inspire other umpires to be the best they can be.鈥�
Netball New 91色情片, Netball South, and her umpiring wh膩nau know Sasha鈥檚 influence will continue, not through the whistle she once held, but through the voices she lifts and the officials she guides.