Intro to Umpiring

I started umpiring when I was 13 years old.  After "graduating" out of little league, they recruited kids to umpire their younger age games.  After a single 3 hour training session they threw you on the field.  And pretty much everyone did fine since nobody expected much.  We were supposed to have 2 kids per game, but more often than not I would end up working alone because people wouldn't show up.  Games played from mid-April to mid-June.  Your first year games payed $10 a piece, 2nd year umps made a full $12 a game, and 3rd years kids made a whopping $14.  I had fun with it, it was easy, and I made a little money.  I think in my 3rd year I made like $250, and I was thrilled. 

When I turned 16 and got my driver's license, I joined Northern Virginia Baseball Umpires Association (NVBUA, or NV for short).  The association works everything played on a 90' diamond - 13 year old to 18 year old rec ball, mens leagues, american legion, high school, college, and many more.  We pretty much have a monopoly in Northern Virginia, DC, and large swaths of Maryland, and get a lot of college games throughout the middle atlantic region. New umpires have to go through a 3-month, once a week for 3 hours class room training program with a few additional on-the field training sessions added to that.   Then you do a couple practice games with trainers watching and commenting.  After that you can start working real games, but the training never really ends.

The vast majority of our games are worked in two man crews (although occasionally we'll have 3, 4, or even 6 man games).  In all cases the "senior" umpire is the crew chief, and theoretically is in charge of the game and has the final say on all decisions.  In addition, the crew chief is supposed to evaluate the "junior" umpire, and after the game provides a rating.  Over the course of the year these ratings (along with a few evaluations from official trainer/raters at other times) give an umpire a rating that ultimately decides what level baseball games that umpire gets.  In our contracts (which also decide the rates we get paid for these games) they have limits on what level umpires can umpire what level games, so as umpires get better they start working better and better baseball.

Games go from early march to mid November, and during that time if you told them you wanted to you could pretty much work every day, and get 2 games a weekday, and 4-5 games on a weekend.  Fees range from $54-$90 for most games I work, although College and a few of the higher leagues pay even more.  Add that up over the course of the year you can make some good money.  7 inning games typically go about 2 hours, 9 inning games 2.5-3, but that varies a good bit depending on the level of play and other league rules (such as time limits and slaughter rules). 

So that's what I do.  Just like when I was 13, I still have fun with it, it's relatively easy, and I make a little money.  I mean how can anyone argue with a hobby that not only keeps you active and outdoors, but gets you paid?