How Do I
Become a Qualified, Capable and Respected Umpire?...

What a Great Question!... And One We Love to Hear, and Help Answer!

Becoming a softball or baseball umpire is not simply a matter of thinking you know baseball and/or softball because you’ve played it for several years now.  It involves study, training, a solid understanding of the all-important ‘mechanics’ of umpiring, having the proper umpire's uniform and gear, and finding games to officiate.

But there is actually a whole lot more to it when it comes to fulfilling the role of a qualified, conscientious umpire.
 . . The Step-by-Step Guide at Right is Here to Start you Off on the Right Foot:

Where or How Do I Start?...

Obviously the web is a great place to begin your research into umpiring. And it’s also a great source of information for finding Umpire Associations, Training Clinics, and other items necessary to help move you along the right path. Here are some additional steps to take....

• Step 1: ATTEND A BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION MEETING OR CLINIC IN YOUR AREA. This will get you in the door and give you a sense of most everything you’ll need to become an umpire. The best way to find one is to attend a game locally and ask the officiating umpire which association / organization they belong to, or which schedulers in the area they might recommend. Alternately, you can call athletics program managers at local park districts to see with whom they might recommend you get in contact.
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• Step  2: PLUG INTO OR JOIN AN ORGANIZATION OR ASSOCIATION (such as PlayBallServices). This could be the one where you initially attended a meeting or a different one you found through another umpire whose opinion you respect. Associations can be at the local, state or national level, and though they are similar, now two are ever identical. This is also true for Sanctions; more information can be found here.
   
• Step  3:  GET IN GOOD PHYSICAL SHAPE -- as this will be vital to performing at the level you’ll be required to in your new job. Good Umpiring requires both standing for extended periods of time, occasionally in high heat; and many many instances through each game, you’ll absolutely have to hustle to get in the right position to make good calls.
   
• Step  4:  TAKE THE REQUIRED CLASSES AND TRAINING to pass the necessary tests so you can officiate games. Incidentally, training is not a one-time thing; good officials regularly look for training opportunities, as they find that the best information tends to come out in discussions at those events. What’s more, rules do tend to change on a not infrequent basis, and training clinics are one of the beast ways to keep abreast of those changes.
   
• Step  5: BECOME RULES KNOWLEDGEABLE / TAKE AND PASS THE APPROPRIATE TESTS so you can feel confident in your base of knowledge as you prepare to umpire games for the first time.. This relates to SANCTIONING, which is explained in Step 7 below.
   
• Step  6:  GET YOUR UNIFORM, PROTECTIVE AND OTHER EQUIPMENT to use while umpiring contests. What you’ll need (DOWNLOAD a summary of this information here):
• 1.   Polished Black Shoes
• 2.  Black Socks
• 3. Heather Gray Slacks and Proper Color Umpire Shirt Required by Your Association or Sanction
• 4. Black Belt
• 5. Fitted Base, Plate, and/or Combo Cap(s); Color & Designation Depends on Sanction(s) You Intend to Umpire
• 6. Ball Bag(s), again color-matched to the programs you plan to work
• 7. Pencil, Flipping Coin, Balls / Strikes / Outs Indicator, Plate Brush... AND A Count-Down Digital Timer!
• 8. Possibly Other Items specific to the contests you plan to officiate.
• 9. Rule Book(s), Case Book(s), Umpire Manual(s) -- these are either part of your Sanctioning, or may be available through your sanctioning body.
• 10. Your Own Protective Gear.
   
• Step  7:  REGISTER / SANCTION WITH A LOCAL AND/OR NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. There will be a fee involved which will go toward additional training and insurance for you. More Information on sanctioning can be found HERE (NSA / BPA Policies & Procedures) and HERE (Additional Sanctioning Organizations).
  KEY POINT with regard to SANCTIONING: As a baseball and/or softball official, You Are An Independent Contractor, and you are solely responsible for your own Liability and/or Medical Insurance Coverage. The organizations through which you SANCTION either provide that (supplemental) coverage as part of their sanctioning function and fee, or make it available to registering officials at a very affordable price. You are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to Sanction AND get your own coverage. PlayBallServices Assumes NO LIABILITY NOR RESPONSIBILITY for such matters in the event that you are injured in the course of your accepting officiating assignments from / through our organization. Further, PlayBallServices Shall Be Held Harmless in the event that you are enjoined in a lawsuit as a direct result of your actions serving as a Baseball / Softball Official.
   
• Step  8: IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, FIND A MENTOR, who can guide you through your early activities on-field... to give you a sense of what to do and what NOT to do. We do that as a matter of course.
   
• Step 9:  OFFICIATE YOUR FIRST GAME AS A FULL-FLEDGED UMPIRE. Find one through your
  new association, local scheduler, or check with your local park district.
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