Five Reasons to Volunteer as an Umpire
Spotsylvania County Little League is run entirely by volunteers—and that includes our umpires. Umpires play a key role in ensuring that games run smoothly and safely, enforcing the rules and maintaining the spirit of competition. Their presence helps teach young athletes about respect, discipline, and sportsmanship, shaping a positive and structured environment on the field.
In this article, we’ll explore five compelling reasons to step up and volunteer as an umpire, from supporting youth development to personal growth, and why your involvement is crucial to the success of our league.
1. It's a great way to support your local Little League
Volunteering for Little League is a rewarding way to give back to the community while making a lasting impact on young athletes. Whether you're passionate about baseball/softball or simply looking for a meaningful way to contribute, umpiring offers a unique opportunity to be part of the action and foster positive experiences for the athletes.
Umpires are in high demand and short supply in many leagues. When none are available, games can only proceed if a parent steps in at the last minute. This often leads to a less consistent and structured experience for the players. It can take away from the focus on fair play and sportsmanship, as impromptu volunteers may lack the training and confidence needed to effectively manage the game.
By volunteering as an umpire, you help ensure that the maximum number of games have umpires who are prepared and equipped to maintain a positive atmosphere and provide a smooth experience for all players.
2. You can take advantage of umpire incentives
Spotsylvania County Little League is aware of the importance and scarcity of volunteer umpires, and has created a program of perks and discounts to incentivize and reward those who volunteer their time and energy to serve as umpires.
• 1 Game – Invitation to the league-sponsored umpire dinner at a local restaurant.
• 5 Games – One free player registration for an upcoming season
• 12 Games – $25 gift card.
• 20 Games – $50 gift card.
Additionally, we offer discounts on equipment, reimbursements for training and certification, and additional incentives for umpiring in postseason tournaments. Full details on the program are available here.
3. You can start slow
Volunteering as an umpire doesn't mean you need to quit your day job or sacrifice all your free time. Umpires can choose which games they work at their discretion and according to their own schedule. A busy parent might only manage to cover two or three games in a season, while prolific umpires might cover 20 or 30. Both are valuable and welcome additions to the group of volunteers.
Likewise, your first games as an umpire need not be behind the plate of a Senior Baseball game where pitches are fast and pickoff attempts are common. Instead, you can start by working as a base umpire—where you don't need to call every ball or strike—alongside a more experienced plate umpire. In this way, you can gradually work your way behind the plate and into higher level, faster games—if that's what you're interested in.
4. You'll master the rules
Most people who have been around baseball/softball know the basic rules. You likely know that runners must touch 1st base before they touch 2nd and that three strikes means you're out. But do you know exactly when a batted ball becomes foul or fair? When the fielders have right of way over the runners, or vice versa? Or when three strikes doesn't mean you're out?
Knowing the rules is an important part of being a good coach, athlete, or even a fan. Misconceptions on the rules, even among experienced coaches and players, are common. There's no better way of (correctly) learning the many rules and subtleties of baseball/softball than putting yourself in the action and working with more experienced umpires than yourself.
5. You'll show your child that trying new things and making mistakes is OK.
Even when parents recognize the value of umpiring and are willing to volunteer their time, many balk at their lack of baseball/softball knowledge or experience to confidently call balks (pun intended) and other nuanced rules of the game. They're concerned that they're not qualified to umpire a game, and that if they try then they might mess up in front of the crowd.
They're not wrong—if you volunteer as an umpire you almost certainly will mess up. But that's OK! A good umpire need not be perfect, but rather committed to making fair and impartial calls, while continuously learning and self-reflecting on potential mistakes.
This experience mirrors what young athletes go through every time they step onto the field in front of peers and family. When they strike out, drop a flyball, or miss a throw, a wise coach or parent will tell them to keep their chin up, learn from their mistakes, and keep at it. By volunteering to umpire, you demonstrate with your actions that trying new things, embracing challenges, and learning from mistakes is part of growing and getting better—both on the field and in life. Just as they work to become better players, you'll grow into a better umpire.
Get started today!
If this article has inspired you to put on a blue shirt and slacks and get on the field, you can get started by sending an e-mail to [email protected] to express your interest.
Many Little League umpires who got started just because they were tired of their kids' games not having umpires got hooked on the satisfaction umpiring provides and ended up on ESPN working the Little League World Series. Even if that's not your goal, getting started as an umpire today is a great way to support your local league, contribute to the development of young athletes, and gain a rewarding experience of your own.