By Staff Writer
Chelsea Roffey does it all – she’s an AFL goal umpire, a speaker, researcher, writer, promoter of gender equality and inclusion, and a loving mum.
Born in South Australia and raised in Queensland, Chelsea currently lives in Melbourne. In 2012 Chelsea became the first woman to umpire an AFL Grand Final, and has now umpired over 300 games of AFL, including 16 finals games.
Off the field, Chelsea engages with various corporate organisations to optimise their performance through diversity. She has been an invited guest at the APEC Women’s Leadership Forum in Beijing, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York, and a Winston Churchill Fellow examining the barriers and opportunities of diversity.
We spoke with Chelsea to learn how she maintains balance in her life and her views on the importance of diversifying your career.
“Flexibility across my many roles is extremely important to me. As a mum to a toddler, days can be really unpredictable and require me to adapt to ever-changing circumstances,” Chelsea explained. She emphasised that a supportive workplace environment, with open communication is crucial to her maintaining balance, empowering her to be at her best both on and off the field.
“Maintaining multiple roles requires personal drive and supportive workplace environments to ensure you’re in a position to always perform at your best. Being equipped with valuable tools and structures of support from your employer enables you to prioritise your holistic health and wellbeing, which is the foundation for success.”
Chelsea is dedicated to her role as an athlete, leveraging the skills and experiences from sport to excel professionally. Her commitment to both her athletic and professional careers exemplifies the value of transferable skills and contributes to the build of her identity outside of the goal posts.
“Workplay’s mission emphasises the importance of diversifying your career off the field. Understanding your transferable skills is crucial. On the field, you’re constantly using life skills in your job, decision making, effective communication, navigating pressured situations, and it works the other way too. You can apply those on-field learnings in the wider world,” Chelsea Roffey said.
Chelsea believes in Workplay’s mission to support women athletes in football, including umpires, in balancing their sporting and professional careers. She sees the platform as a vital resource for helping athletes recognise and utilise their skills beyond the game, fostering both personal and professional growth.
