Girls Fast-Pitch Softball & Boys / Mens Baseball Officiating & Umpire Training

As an Individual looking to be Assigned to Officiate for Park District, Community
and/or Rec. League Baseball and/or Softball Games through PlayBallServices,
the following Policies and Procedures shall be in effect.

When individuals choose to take on umpiring as an avocation, for whatever reason (financial, ‘giving back’ to the sport / game, helping kids to have fun, et. al.), certain expectations that must be met for things to work out, both for the individual and for the assignor organization. Essentially, WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OF US..., and...  WHAT WE WILL EXPECT OF YOU.

PlayBallServices Recreational Leagues Umpire
Policies & Procedures
---   Updated November 29, 2011   ----

Key Topics: Timeliness Dress Code On-Fence Timers Umpiring Fees Payment Policies Independent Contractor Status

1. TIMELINESS! -- This is A Significant, Critical and Vitally Important Issue!
• You Are To Arrive at Your Rec. League or Travel Team Game Assignment Site NOT LESS THAN 20 MINUTES BEFORE your scheduled game time.
• Not Only That, YOU MUST CHECK IN with the Coach or Manager of the Home Team, and let him/her know that you are there UPON YOUR ARRIVAL; as a courtesy, you may wish to also advise the opponent team manager / coach that you are there.
• Once having checked in, you should then proceed to dress for Plate or Base, and get to your field to conduct your pre-game meeting FIVE (5) MINUTES PRIOR to the Game's Scheduled Start Time.
• POLICY: -- If within Five (5) Minutes of Game Time, We Get a Call from the Manager, Coach, or Site Supervisor asking
  “Where’s My Umpire?!”,  YOUR PAY FOR THAT GAME WILL BE DOCKED
• For the FIRST Occurrence, a $10 Fine Will Be Assessed.
• For a SECOND or THIRD Occurrence, a 1/2-Game Fee Will Be Assessed.
• Should It Happen a THIRD TIME, Not Only Will a 1/2-Game Fee Will Be Assessed, PlayBallServices
   Will No Longer Schedule Games for You.
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2. Mandatory Umpire Dress Code  Standard Rec. League Umpire Uniform: (DOWNLOAD reference list with photos)
• CAP: Plain Navy Blue Umpire Combo Cap (fits under standard masks without having to be worn backwards)
• SHIRT: Standard Umpire Shirt typically Navy Blue or Powder Blue for Baseball and/or Softball (match your partner!); uniform or shoulder patches optional.
• PANTS/SLACKS: Heather Gray Pants/Slacks Umpire Combo Pants recommended!.
• JACKET: Plain Navy Blue Jacket when weather dictates.
• BALL BAG:  Plain Navy Blue or Black Ball Bag.
• OTHER: Black Shoes / Black Socks / Black Belt.  UnderArmor recommended to be White, Gray or Black, when worn.
• POLICY: If and When PlayBallServices Receives a Call from a Credible Source (Manager, Coach, or Site Supervisor) advising us that you are not in the proper uniform, A $10 Fine will be Deducted from Your Pay for That Game.
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• NOTE: On e-mail request, we can provide you with a
  Discount Certificate for  Lansing Sport Shop (Lansing, IL),
  The Sports Huddle (Lockport, IL), or our most recent cooperating partner,  BSN Sports (formerly Salkeld Sports) (Bourbonnais, IL).  These three  local well known and respected retailers are pleased  to do value-added business with and for the umpires whom PlayBallServices schedules.
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3. On-Fence Audible Alarm Digital Count-Down Timers  --  For Programs Whose Local League Rules Specify Time Limits, UMPIRES MUST HAVE AND USE VISIBLE FENCE-MOUNTED AUDIBLE ALARM
   DIGITAL COUNTDOWN TIMERS (NOT wrist watches, or cellphone timers) for the game time limits.
• Most Programs run games under Time Limits.Using visible on-fence Digital Count-down Timers helps protect you and helps alleviate questions and issues as games evolve.
• Clock will NOT be stopped except for ... [A] Weather Issue / Game Suspension;  [B] SIGNIFICANT On-field Injury (one that will delay a game; be sure to remember to re-start the timer at the resumption of play);  [C] Filing of Protest by a Manager.
• POLICY: When We Are Advised  that You Do Not Use an On-Fence Timer, Your Pay Will Be Docked a 1/2-Game Fee.
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4. Umpiring Fees -- Game Fees Paid vary by sport (baseball vs. softball), by age level, and by town / program.
   But the Area Program Scheduler to learn what base rate per game might be for the current year
• A. Be advised, that umpires are Strongly Encouraged to attend a State Level (NSA / BPA / PONY BB-SB) Training Clinic / Rules Interpretation Meeting. Officials who DO attend the pre-season clinic(s) tend to be offered more opportunities to officiate and earn income than those who do not.
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5. Rec. Leagues Invoicing & Payment Policies --
• For those Towns / Programs who prefer to pay for their umpiring services through the scheduling organization, invoices are submitted per terms of the in-place Agreement that is established between the towns / programs and PlayBallServices (PBS). This is done after they have sent their program schedule(s) to PBS. Generally scheduled pay-outs are set in place throughout the length of their season, and payments are received relative to the games completed.
• Upon receipt of payments from towns/programs, PBS generally issues checks on a 2-3 week basis, for games completed over that time. Be advised that some programs are very good about issuing payments (within 7-10 days) and some take considerably longer (15-30 days is not uncommon). The policy is, when the monies come in, the deposit is made, and checks are generally issued within 48 hours. Its as simple as that.
• BE ADVISED!... Checks issued to you through Barry Parks, UIC, dba PlayBallServices, should be deposited or cashed by officials WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RECEIPT OF PAYMENT!
• Barry Parks, UIC, dba PlayBallServices Shall NOT Be Held Responsible nor Liable for Payment of Checks Attempting to be Cashed Beyond the 30-day Period from the Issuing Date Written on the Check!
• Nor Shall Barry Parks, UIC, dba PlayBallServices Be Held Liable / Responsible for Any Bank Charges that May Be Incurred by Any Official Who DOES NOT CONFORM to This Policy!
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6. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR STATUS --
• As a Sports Official, You Are An INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR... You Work for Yourself and No One Else!
• You are not an employee of any organization through whom you might accept assignments -- be that high schools, colleges, rec. leagues, park districts, travel teams, program coordinators, umpire assignors, or Tournament Directors or Managers.
• You are not entitled to file any Worker Comp claims. 
• You are Solely Responsible for any Tax Liability for the monies you earn in your umpiring activities.
• And Perhaps Most Importantly  especially in today's ever more litigious society, You Are Solely Responsible for both your own Liability Insurance Coverage, and your own Medical Insurance Coverage. In the event that you are injured either on the way to, during, or on the way back from an officiating assignment, the organization through whom you took the assignment, and/or the program you worked for bear no legal liability.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT of INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR STATUS
in the Capacity of a Baseball and/or Softball Youth Sports Official

WAIVER OF LIABILITY AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK: PARTICIPANT HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES AND RATIFIES THE FOLLOWING:

1. That by Reviewing this Document, and Following Through by Contacting PlaBallServices, the Reader Is Expressing Interest in Officiating Baseball and/or Softball Youth (or Adult) Sports Contests, assigned by PlayBallServices.
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2. That said individual understands and acknowledges that neither PlayBallServices, nor BPA-NSA, nor any other baseball / softball sanctioning organization under whose auspices games are officiated, nor any Community or Park District Youth Sports Program for which games are played, is his/her employer, and therefore are not responsible for withholding federal or state taxes or social security, etc. Nor is the undersigned entitled to receive Workers Compensation coverage through any of the afore-named organizations.
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3. That Barry Parks, UIC, dba PlayBallServices, and/or Any Other Assigner working on behalf of Barry Parks, UIC, dba PlayBallServices, Assumes NO LIABILITY NOR RESPONSIBILITY for such named and/or related matters in the event that you are injured in the course of your accepting officiating assignments from / through our program. Further, Barry Parks, UIC, dba PlayBallServices, and/or Any Other Assigner working on behalf of Barry Parks, UIC, dba 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.
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4. That the individual is solely responsible for acquiring his/her own Medical and/or Liability Insurance Coverage, and further that, should said individual be injured in the course of fulfilling his/her role as a youth sports official, whether while on the field, on the way to, or returning from an officiating assignment, that individual is solely responsible for his or her own Medical Treatment and any incurred expenses deriving therefrom. If sanctioning BPA and/or NSA to work World-Series Qualifiter Tournaments, supplemental insurance coverage is part of the sanction arrangement.
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5. In consideration for receiving and accepting the officiating opportunities presented by PlayBallServices, the undersigned agrees to conduct himself/herself in a professional manner befitting the duties and responsibilities of a youth sports official.

If questions, clarifications, or concerns, contact --

Barry Parks, BPA Illinois State Umpire-in-Chief (UIC), and
NSA Illinois / Chicagoland South Area Girls Fastpitch UIC
2010 Inductee -- Illinois NSA-BPA Hall of Fame
708.946.1439, or barry@playballservices.com