Hello. My name is Kevin. I am new to this site and new to umpiring. I just started this year. I call little league baseball and softball. I am planning on getting certified in January so that I can do hs games. The local hs ump assoc. has a lot of trouble keeping ump so I think I'll do well in it. I'm not planning on going anywhere. I am a youth pastor at a church in my town and my pastor coaches little league. This year he was elected president of the league so I asked him about umping. I don't know of another thing that I could be doing for a little extra money, that I would love as much. Yes, in Upstate NY, the little league pays a little too! I noticed they do in parts of NC which is good. I think it is good for the ump to make a little. He is more likely to show up and do a good job. I'm sure there are hundreds of ump that do it free and do GREAT, but we have had a couple men up here who didn't even show up when they were going to get paid. Maybe it depends on the area. I'd do it for free, but I'll take the $25. At first they didn't tell me it paid, they just said I could get a hot dog and popcorn at the snack bar. I would have done it just for that.
I used to play baseball for the Charlotte NABA in 2005, but that was the first time I had played organized ball in YEARs. I loved it, but for my first year, I couldn't compete. If I had stayed in it, I think I would have improved, but I moved to NY to serve at this church. I love my job; I love working with teenagers and their parents; I love people. I have three wonderful children of my own. My oldest daughter will be playing softball next year and my son will start tee ball. He has cp as the result of a stroke when he was born, but it only affects his right leg in a minor way. He is four. He throws ok and hits ok for a "disabled" four year old. I don't think he knows he has a disability. He loves to play baseball. I won't make him, but if he wants to, I'll teach him everything I know and teach him to be the very best he can be!
I am glad I found this site. I am looking forward to getting to know you all and learning from you as I am a novice behind the plate. I love baseball and have been around it all my life, but I have only begun to Umpire. Thank you for having this site available. I look forward to spending time hear learning.
Kevin
