Chris Burton’s driving intercepts from goal defence, long penetrating passes downcourt, and commanding voice and on-court presence captured the attention of opponents and spectators equally.
When she stepped down from playing, Chris umpired at the Netball Australia National Championships for the next 13 years. She also officiated at three World Cups and one World Games.
Chris Burton’s driving intercepts from goal defence, long penetrating passes downcourt, and commanding voice captured the attention of her opponents and spectators alike.
She led by an imposing presence, competitive will, and her athletic abilities.
To put it simply, she was an All-Australian powerhouse defender.
The same qualities applied to her disposition as an All-Australian badged umpire. There would be no questioning of her decisions, such was the respect and authority she held with the players.
Those players acknowledged she’d played the game at the highest level. Further to that, defenders appreciated that she saw the game from a defender’s perspective.
Yet, for such an imposing figure, she was disarmingly warm, personable, and loved to laugh.
For 30 years, Chris Burton played, coached, umpired, and administrated the game. She perhaps is the only player in the game’s history to earn her All-Australian Umpire’s Badge while still playing at the elite level.
She made the national team in 1964 and was a key member for more than a decade, including as vice-captain 1972 -1975, and competing in two World Championships, finishing second in 1967 and winning the title in 1975.
When she stepped down from playing, Chris umpired at the Netball Australia National Championships for the next 13 years. She also officiated at three World Cups and one World Games.
For extensive periods, Chris contributed to the game’s development – her great passion – via the International Netball Federation’s Rules Committee, Umpires Committee and Testing Panel.
In 1999 Chris was elected as a Board member to the International Netball Federation and contributed her wisdom and insights for the next eight years.
Chris Burton, a classroom teacher by early profession, has been one of netball’s greatest contributors across SA, Australia, and the world. As such she was proudly inducted to Legend status in the Netball Australia Hall of Fame in 2022.
She is also one of an extremely rare group of netballers who has been given the Netball Australia Service Award and an inductee into the NA Hall of Fame.
