Hey everyone,

Figured it was finally time to stop lurking and make an account. I’ve been reading Umpire-Empire since around 2016 when I started umpiring at 13 years old, and I’ve learned a lot from the discussions here over the years.

I’m from southeast Michigan and currently umpire both baseball and softball, from 8U all the way through high school. I’m always looking to improve and enjoy working games at every level.

Umpiring definitely runs in my blood. My dad has been an umpire for over 40 years and has served as a USSSA UIC/assigner in southeast Michigan for more than 20 years. I grew up around ballfields and have been fortunate to learn a lot from him.

Looking forward to learning even more, contributing where I can, and getting to know everyone here!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Around the time Wisconsin moved to a single spring HS season, I became a varsity head coach and later an athletic director, so my umpiring opportunities mostly disappeared. I still picked up a few games here and there and spent a few summers assigning for an inner-city league.

Fast forward to now: I’m no longer coaching, but part of my role as AD is overseeing baseball for our district. After losing a long-time assigner, we’ve had a rough time finding quality, competent umpires (and yes… sober ones—unfortunately not a joke). 😅 So this year I’m getting back on the field myself. I’m also implementing an internal umpire-rating system for our conference and hope to take over some or all of the assigning next year.

Like the title says, I've been reading this forum for a while, and I finally got around to joining this week, mostly because I wanted to chime in on some of the hilarious (and often very passionate) comment threads about a certain yellow-lettered equipment brand.

A little about me: I'm in my 30s and have been umpiring since I was about 14. An older umpire encouraged a curious young baseball player, who was nervous but eager to try umpiring, to give it a shot, and I was hooked from that point on. I umpired travel baseball throughout high school and started working showcase and high school ball soon after graduating. I even used umpiring as a great little job while attending college, and even encouraged others to get involved as well.

I took a few years off to start a family, but the itch to get back out there has been getting stronger (once an umpire, always an umpire, amirite?). So I joined the local association this year to jump back in. I'm a little older now, and hopefully a little wiser..... (jury's still out on that), but maybe I’ll revisit that old dream of officiating at the college level. At the very least, I’m excited to be back on the field, learning and doing something I’ve loved for so many years.

Mask: Davis Mirage 12 (Thanks to this forum)

Pads: FM4000 Mag Pads, Tan Leather

Chest Protector: Wilson Pro Platinum

Shins: Gerry Davis Apex

We're in the good times

-Llama

Just started umpiring last year but been playing baseball since I was 8 y/o. Here to gain more knowledge and put it to the test. Currently doing Sunday ball and some HS, absolutely love it. Hoping I move up the ranks and become a better umpire. And maybe one day, I’ll umpire higher levels of play…why not, the big leagues!

GOD Bless!

Gerardo “Jerry” Camberos

I want to make some extra money on the weekends so I decided to become an umpire.  I live in El Paso, TX. Any advice?

I've created a company Sports Officials LLC to assign sports officials to games. As far as softball as concerned is there anyone on this thread with assigning experience that could tell me more detail about governing bodies, rules and regulations, geography, and any other pertinent information that has to do with assigning umpires? A phone number or URL works fine as well.

All the best,

Mark Shollenberger

I'm a brand new umpire. haven't called a game yet. I have 4 sons and have coached a ton of baseball over the years. My 14yr old wanted a way to make some money & learn more about the game, so he asked to become an umpire. Since he's 14 & I'd have to drive him to games anyway, I figured I'd do it as well. We had our initial umpire class a couple weekends ago & had a lot of fun learning how to call a game from a couple of former MLB/current NCAA umpires. We're supposed to get our assignments for fall ball this week. Looking forward to it!!

Howard Smith

I've taken a few years off. Not from umpiring, but from posting online. Lots of life changes over the last few years. I lost my wife of 27 years in 2020 right before covid was sprung on us. I was blessed that we were able to have her memorial before everything shut down. I started dating about a year and a half later and have gotten engaged, moved from my home in Laguna Niguel, rented it out, and moved in with my fiance (Kristin) in Oceanside. We are getting married on July 20th.

On the umpiring front, I stopped doing HS last year to focus solely on my college schedule. I work D2, D3, NAIA and JC. It's good to see some familiar "faces" when browsing the site!

Just reintroducing myself.  Took about 5 years off from umpiring to go back to school.  Finally got behind the plate for my first time since my break last Sunday.  Feels good to be back in the saddle!

I wanted to become a pro umpire years ago but decided against it. I am in another industry but want to get back into umpiring. My goal is to umpire at the college level or even some of the independent leagues. Only had some LL experience years ago when I was much younger. Thinking of attending the Wendelstedt School this January if I can arrange all that time off.

I am 29 years old, so I am not interested in going to the MiLB (probably too old at this point anyway). I can usually get most weekdays off, so I can be available for a lot of games. Live in Central NJ but would be willing to travel some.

What would you guys recommend as a viable path to get to the college level or independent baseball from where I am now? Should I go to the pro school and then come back and find local clinics to network? Do I start at the HS level and go up from there, putting pro school on hold? I am reading up on the rule book and PBUC manual/mechanics.

Appreciate any input and advice.

Austin

I started umpiring back in 1981 (mainly HS and Pony with a few semi-pro games thrown in). Retired in 2001 - bought a new house, so no longer had free weekends (worked 9-5 on the weekdays, so no games there). I retired in Jan 2023, so now free on weekdays and am back to work. The money is better, a lot of administrative work (scheduling, communication) is done online, some mechanics have changed, smartphone cameras at every game yet game management is pretty much the same. I'm glad to be back though I'm taking it season to season. The kids (players) have been good, had a few run-ins with coaches (expected) and the fans haven't been troublesome. Still, the aches and pains take longer to recover from and I had my first serious injury in my career:

Gratefully (according to the doctor), there's a muscle group their that protects the carotid and jugular or it would have been much worse

Anyway, read on this thread another umpire who returned after ten years. Ran into another umpire at clinic who also returned after ten years, so hope it's a trend. Also gave my ump business card to a catcher who umpired the in-house league. Hope that he'll sign up when older

Finally, two more anecdotes; 1) was able to umpire with a student (I was a HS teacher) who I introduced to umpiring back when he was in HS AND also umpired with his son, who followed in this footsteps, and 2) umpired the son of a HS student (his dad would return to coach the next game - it was a fun reunion)

Glad to give back to the game that continues to give back to me

I played baseball for several years as a kid but I'm pretty new to the umpiring craft. I've worked a couple of seasons at a local rec league and am trying my hand at some low level youth travel ball this year. No certifications at this point, but hoping to slowly add to my education and experience as my "career" progresses. Enjoy the content on this site and hope to be around for a while!

Over the past two seasons, I’ve had so many odd situations that I’ve lost count.  And with most of them, I can’t find exact explanations in the LL rulebook.  That’s why I’m here!

Thanks,

SoonerWes