What is the Junior Umpire Program?
Members of the Ballard Little League community (they don’t have to live in Ballard) ages 12 to 17 are invited to be umpires at Ballard Little League. Two person crews typically consisting of a parent and a teenager are also encouraged to join. Teenagers will be paid $38 per game or they can get volunteer credit for high school community service requirements.
There is so much to learn from Little League; sportsmanship, competition, service. There's plenty to learn from umpiring as well; responsibility, leadership, tenacity. Umpiring offers fantastic perspectives for volunteers you and old.
What's in it for youth umpires?
First and foremost, umpiring at Little League is about community service. Little League is a leadership program to teach life lessons through baseball and softball. Volunteers can:
Receive community service hours while having a great time giving back to the community OR get paid $38 per game. Pretty good for two hours!
Learn great life skills
Beef up college applications
Ok, what do I do if I am interested?
Step 1: Complete the Volunteer Application Form. To do this, follow these steps: Log into your BLL online account. Click "Volunteer" on the menu. Click "Find Volunteer Opportunities". All volunteers register through one of our baseball or softball programs. Select a program. Select a division (it does not matter which one for your umpire application). Scroll over and find the role "Umpire". Answer the questions. Junior umpires will not go through background check. Submit a parent's ID with the form.
Step 2: Contact Ballard Little League Chief Umpire, Dave Trop, at [email protected] or (206) 852-7110.
Step 3: Your name will be added to the email list where you will find out about upcoming events and training opportunities. Equipment will be provided.
Am I Qualified?
The league will provide uniforms, equipment, rule books and training. Every crew will be mentored and start in the lower divisions. Coaches will be informed of the nature of the junior umpire program and will be asked to treat younger umpires with the same respect that they would treat any of the seasoned veterans. Without expanding the pool of volunteers, parents will need to be pulled out of the stands to call balls & strikes...your contribution makes a huge difference to the athlete’s experience.
How does training work?
Ballard Little League provides training and resource in addition to trainings by Little League District 8:
Ballard will how two online sessions for rules and procedures. You can attend either one. These will be on ZOOM and will take two hours; part of the time is about how to sign up for a game and other procedures, the rest is a rules refresher. BLL will also host a three hour on-field clinic. Attendance to one ZOOM session and on-field clinic are required to be paid as a junior umpire. If you cannot make the on-field clinic you can attend the District on-field training.
All volunteers will receive a rule book and are expected to read and understand the rules
Little League International provides rules and skills clinics. All umpires are encouraged to participate, but these are not a requirement.
District 8 training: District 8 conducts rules clinics and 60’ and 90’ clinics.
Junior umpires will be partnered with an adult umpire to assist with positioning and mechanics until they are comfortable to umpire on their own.
Junior umpire may choose to sign up with an adult.
What if I forget a rule during a game?
Nobody is perfect and it’s okay if you need to pause during a game to get a call right. Sometimes the hardest rules to remember are ones that are applied in the lower divisions such as batting out of turn.
How big of a time commitment is this?
You set your own schedule. Umpiring 3 to 5 games per season is a HUGE help to the league. We allow you to schedule the games you want based on your availability and the umpires you want to work with.
Is there ever an issue if only teenagers are on the field?
Rule 9.03(d) says an adult must be in charge of the game however if no adult umpire is available an adult game coordinator will be required for ejections and to call the game for rain or darkness if necessary. The person does not have to be an empire.
Thank you for considering the Little League umpire program! If you have any questions please give me a call or email.
- Dave Trop - Ballard Little League Chief Umpire | (206) 852.7100 | [email protected]