MadMax

And so begins my seventeenth year of umpiring here in 2025. Signed onto my seventh NorthWoods League season, I am a League Supervisor. 

As of 2022, I'm officially a Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School graduate! 👨‍🎓

In life, change is inevitable. The more you try to resist it, the more it saps your strength and decays your resolve. As such, I've had to make some changes... I've wrapped up my residence in Phoenix after 9 years (thanks @KenBAZ for being a tremendous friend and housemate!), and have moved back to Wisconsin. While my game workload has dropped from its high of ≈ 400 games per year, It's now in parallel with work in home renovation and furniture work. 

I am a founding member of the Vultures, a group of umpire colleagues who share mentorship, development, and evaluation of each other and take a “honor among thieves” approach to assignment opportunities. It is completely different than conventional associations. If anyone would like more information regarding the “vulture concept”, please PM me. 

Please take the opportunity to examine and consider Gerry Davis Sports' product lineup. @DerekGDS is spearheading a campaign to innovate within and redefine the uniforms and gear that we all depend on. We've been served stale, stagnant gear and attire for over 20 years, with only sporadic, one-off progressions made, often only at the momentum or reaction of fellow baseball participants (ie. catchers) or officials in other sports (eg. football, hockey, etc.). As I mentioned, change is inevitable, and in this case, vital. 

Around U-E, I’m known as being a gear tinkerer, as it plays into my other career work as an environmental designer & renovator. I’ve turned my hand at several occupations, and have worked as a graphic, web, product, and furniture designer. Outside of baseball, I also officiate soccer and hockey, as well as still mountain bike (nothing as extensive as @Majordave), windsurf, and snowboard.