In making such observations, Lewis echoes the sentiments of fellow officials who are in pursuit of perfection but mindful it won't ever be attainable in a flawed arena where players, coaches and fans will ironically always demand accountability.
She started umpiring a decade ago which led to a centre badge following the birth of her first child.
"I wanted to come back to do something different and realised I had the potential to be quite good at becoming an umpire."
The NZC badge holder has the licence to control various NZ age-group tournaments, including the NZ secondary schools' ones.
Her ability to quickly comprehend rules of the game and the feedback from coaches reinforced the belief that she should officiate.
"It makes you a better player if you understand the rules."
Lewis laughs when asked why that grasp of the rules of engagement hasn't propelled her to become a Silver Fern.
"I didn't have aspirations to be one and I was probably too short."
While netball officials don't have GPS trackers on them, Lewis suspects they clock decent mileage that probably exceeds what some players put in during a game.
"We have to undergo yo-yo tests to pass a certain level of fitness to attend tournaments," she says of a yardstick that is similar to a beep test but makes speed more of a thrust than endurance.
"Yo-yo test is more to do with anaerobic fitness because sometimes you're running and then you're sprinting so it's short and sharp," says Lewis, revealing a level of 14.5 is required to control at tourneys.
If officials do not attain the recommended level of fitness, she says, it's not fair on the players.
Born in Masterton, she lives in Havelock North with Magpie husband Ryan Lewis and their sons, Brodie, 10 and Sean, 7.
Her parents, Helen and Gordon Ward, moved to the Bay to work and to be close to family.
She gravitated towards netball in high school because of the need to hang out with friends before the enjoyment factor kicked in.
"I was hockey player but netball grabbed me," says Lewis, finding playing and training late into nights on hockey turfs didn't appeal as a teenager.
On leaving school, she played with Clive Netball Club when it was under the then Hastings association, competing at the Open A grade in its highest level of attainment.
Today Lewis is a secretary and life member of the club.
"I still play," says the social grade shooter/midcourter.
Lewis finds fantastic support from her husband and his family, especially when the children's winter sport kicks in, so as to free her up to fulfil her umpiring obligations.
"It's a bit of juggle with fulltime work but we get there. We always manage picking up and dropping the kids."
She has set her sights on her NZB level of accreditation in her pursuit of higher honours.
"I would never say never to ANZ [national championship] whether or not age is a factor that might come into it."
On reflection, she suspects, if she had picked up a whistle a few years earlier it may have made a difference to progressing to the higher echelons of officialdom.
"I started in my mid-to-late 20s but nowadays you'll find they are starting in their teenage years so we didn't have those opportunities when we were at that age."
Quitting as an official has never crossed her mind although she has dwelled on retiring as a player to channel more energy into umpiring.
"But then you miss the playing and the camaraderie I've had with the other girls for so many years so it comes back to the enjoyment factor."
As long as she's fit and enjoying it she'll carry on officiating.
She is off to the week-long Lower North Island Secondary Schools' Championship on September 5 in Whanganui.
Lewis has controlled NZ U17s three times, as well as the final in her maiden year, and NZ Secondary Schools twice.
"If I get to go to the secondary schools nationals this year it'll be good but if I don't it'll be fine because I'll push for it again next year," she says, thanking sponsors Rescom Security.
Super 6 draws:
For the Hawke's Bay Netball premier matches to be played at the Pettigrew-Green Arena, Taradale, today from 7.15pm:
PGA 1: Otane Thirsty Whale v Outkast Optimise Physio.
Umpires: Helga Lewis & Kelly Ives.
PGA 2: All In Elusive v Central Sports Vet Services HB.
Umpires: Philippa Castles & Natalie Corbett.
PGA 3: Havelock North Jazz Apples Kauri v Hastings High School Old Girls Proactive Huias PGA 3.
Umpires: Avon Waretini & Tony Gardiner.
Reserve officials: Arona Williams & Taini Douglas.
