Umpires Martin Glossop and Gareth Williams both marked special occasions with games over the weekend.
Williams (27) umpired his 250th premier club men's game on Saturday while Glossop (47) umpired his 300th premier club men's game, also on Saturday.
Williams first got into umpiring when he was only 14 and said he just kept enjoying it so never stopped.
"I was asked to do a rep game and it just sort of went from there. I've always enjoyed it and just never tired of it,'' he said.
"The game has changed a lot since I first started. It has just got faster and faster and the skills are ridiculous. When I first started the ball could not go over the shoulder but now there is a lot more aerial ball.''
He said as he has gone along he has learnt to not be too officious with the rules of the game and let the game flow so the players can have a game.
Still playing, Williams, a forestry contractor, also coaches the Taieri Tuataras side and the Taieri first XI. He had umpired at the national under-21 tournament in Dunedin in May and his goal was to umpire in the national league.
Glossop first started refereeing hockey when the game was played on grass in Dunedin.
He started umpiring at age 15 as he had hurt his hand while playing and still wanted to be involved in the sport.
"I just enjoy the camaraderie that all the umpires have and the fun we have had. We are like a family really, bonding as a team,'' Glossop said.
Glossop, who works in the kitchen for the Southern District Health Board, has been involved in tournaments in Australia as a technical director and said it was fun to visit other places.
He no longer played but would keep umpiring as he enjoyed the role.
