Umpires

Calgary West Little League has a strong tradition of training and supporting youth Umpires.

These paid Umpires are at minor games and older divisions (Rookie Ball has parent volunteer umps). Typically drawn from our players, but open to anyone, Umpires may begin training from age 12 & up, and may begin working games once they have completed an initial training session offered through the league. Players can umpire in any division below the one they play in.

Through the season the Umpire in Chief (UIC) is available to answer any questions, as well as look out for our Umpires' best interests and assure they are treated with respect at all times. The UIC is responsible for training the Umpires throughout the season. As such, the UIC may request schedule changes to facilitate mentoring. For ongoing reference, Umpires are encouraged to download the Little League Rule Book app and read the rules.
For the Minor and Major divisions, both plate and base umpires use the Umpire scheduling tool ArbiterSports to assign themselves games. In the case that just one umpire is able to attend, the home team will provide a base ump. If there are no umpires for a game, then the home team provides a home plate umpire and the away team provides the base ump.
For the Rookie division, Umpires are provided by the teams from parent volunteers. The League recommends using the same 2 or 3 for the season if possible. The home team provides the plate umpire and the visiting team provides the base umpire.

Calgary West Little League 2024 Umpire Registration Form

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    Previous Experience




    If you answered YES to PREVIOUSLY UMPIRED, select those that apply:

    Major PlateMinor PlateRookie PlateMajor BaseMinor BaseRookie Base

    2023 Umpire Clinic Details
    • Mark Alenius Rules Clinic – Thursday March 30th, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at Optimist Arena meeting room.
    • New & 2nd Year Umpire Clinic – Saturday April 1st at Springbank Park For All Season (SPFAS), sign up at 8:30 am. Clinic to run from 9:00 am – 11:30 am; noon – 2:00 pm.
    • Intermediate/Junior/Senior Umpire Clinic – Sunday April 2nd at Springbank Park For All Season (SPFAS). Clinic to run from 9:00 am – 11:30 am; noon – 2:00 pm.

    *** Please note that for the above noted Umpire Clinics, the concessions may not be open at SPFAS so you may want to bring a lunch. ***

    • Mark Alenius Rules Clinic – 2nd Session – Wednesday April 19th , 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at Optimist Arena meeting room.
    • Advanced Rules Clinic – Thursday April 20th, 6:30 – 8:30 pm at Optimist Arena meeting room.
    • New & 2nd Year Umpire Clinic – 2nd Session – Saturday April 22nd, 9:00 am – 11:30 am; noon – 2:00 pm at Richmond Green South.
    • Intermediate/Junior/Senior Umpire Clinic – 2nd Session – Sunday April 23rd at Richmond Green 90' diamond (2539 33rd Ave SW, near tennis courts). Clinic to run from 9:00 am - 11:30 am; noon - 2:00 pm.

    *** Please bring a lunch. ***

    In the event of poor weather, we will look to host the umpire clinics at the the Springbank Park For All Seasons (32224A Springbank Rd). We will notify all registered umpires of any changes.

    Please pack your own nut free lunch and beverage in case the on-site concessions are not open. You are not required to bring any Umpire equipment. Simply bring some comfortable clothes, sneakers, baseball glove, and a good attitude.

    Any additional details regarding the Little League Canada Umpire Clinic will be provided to you prior to the Umpire Clinic.

    There is no cost to you, however, registration is limited so register now!

    Becoming an Umpire

    Umpiring baseball is open to women, men, girls and boys.  This is an excellent opportunity for that Spring/Summer job, for anybody looking to earn some extra money while having a great time participating in baseball and working outdoors.  Whether you are playing baseball or are there to watch, it is a terrific way to gain an advanced knowledge of the game.

    Moms and Dads – this is a great way to watch the game up close, help influence the quality of play and application of rules, being involved in a different way with your kids and their activities – and having a front row seat to every game!  Siblings of a player, who may not play but may enjoy participating or having a part-time job, should consider umpiring.

    Umpiring is open to persons 12 years of age and up.  Experience with baseball or umpiring is not required.  However, if you have played the sport or have a general knowledge of Baseball, that will be beneficial to you.  Players can umpire in any division below the one they play in.

    If you are interested in umpiring this season, please complete the Registration Form and email to Umpire in Chief Trevor Selanders at [email protected].

    Once that is complete, we will make sure you are enrolled in the Little League Canada Umpire Clinic. More details can be found under Umpire Training.  All first-year Umpires are required to complete the Little League Canada Umpire Clinic.  It is highly recommended that all second-year Umpires attend as well.

    Prior to the start of the season, all new Umpires will be provided with an official Umpire hat, shirt, ball bag, brush and indicator.

    Umpires must download the Little League Rule Book (https://www.littleleague.org/playing-rules/little-league-rulebook-app/) and supply all other clothing i.e. pants, shoes, belt, etc.

    Umpire Scheduling & Fees

    Calgary West Little League (CWLL) uses the Umpire scheduling tool ArbiterSports where Umpires are able to sign up to umpire games scheduled. For those games not allocated out to Umpires, the Umpire in Chief will review and attempt to fill from the pool of umpires available to CWLL.

    To all CWLL Umpires, please ensure you are going on ArbiterSports frequently to self-assign games.  You are able to ‘Block Sites’ (diamonds) you prefer not to work at, or dates that you are unable to Umpire.  Once they are Blocked, the games at those diamonds or on those days will not show up.

    New Umpires should consider base umpiring five (5) games or so prior to plate umpiring.  This will help you get comfortable umpiring, allow you to see how it is done, and to ask questions in-between innings or after the game.

    On a per game basis, Umpire fees are:

    Minors:
    - Plate Umpire - $35
    - Base Umpire - $30

    Majors:
    - Plate Umpire - $40
    - Base Umpire - $35

    Intermediate/Junior/Seniors
    - Plate Umpire - $50
    - Base Umpire - $50

    At the start of the season we will set up the Umpire, or parent in the case of a young Umpire, with Direct Deposit.

    Umpire Training/Qualifications

    All first-year Umpires are required to complete the Little League Canada Umpire Clinic.  It is highly recommended that all second-year Umpires attend as well.  Details on the 2023 clinic are:

    • Mark Alenius Rules Clinic – Thursday March 30th, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at Optimist Arena meeting room.
    • New & 2nd Year Umpire Clinic – Saturday April 1st at Springbank Park For All Season (SPFAS), sign up at 8:30 am. Clinic to run from 9:00 am – 11:30 am; noon – 2:00 pm.
    • Intermediate/Junior/Senior Umpire Clinic – Sunday April 2nd at Springbank Park For All Season (SPFAS). Clinic to run from 9:00 am – 11:30 am; noon – 2:00 pm.

    *** Please note that for the above noted Umpire Clinics, the concessions may not be open at SPFAS so you may want to bring a lunch. ***

    • Mark Alenius Rules Clinic – 2nd Session – Wednesday April 19th , 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at Optimist Arena meeting room.
    • Advanced Rules Clinic – Thursday April 20th, 6:30 – 8:30 pm at Optimist Arena meeting room.
    • New & 2nd Year Umpire Clinic – 2nd Session – Saturday April 22nd, 9:00 am – 11:30 am; noon – 2:00 pm at Richmond Green South.
    • Intermediate/Junior/Senior Umpire Clinic – 2nd Session – Sunday April 23rd at Richmond Green 90' diamond (2539 33rd Ave SW, near tennis courts). Clinic to run from 9:00 am - 11:30 am; noon - 2:00 pm.

    *** Please bring a lunch. ***

    In the event of poor weather, we will look to host the umpire clinics at the the Springbank Park For All Seasons (32224A Springbank Rd). Please pack your own nut free lunch and beverage in case the on-site concessions are not open.  You are not required to bring any Umpire equipment.  Simply bring some comfortable clothes, sneakers, baseball glove, and a good attitude.

    Those who umpired last season are not required to take the Little League Canada Umpire Clinic although you are welcome to attend the clinic to refresh your skills and knowledge.  If you would like to attend, please contact the UIC, Trevor Selanders, at [email protected].  During the season, we may host some supplemental umpire training.  These could include on-field situational training and may be an opportunity for you to ask questions and or get clarification on a rule.  Returning Umpires can also inquire into the National Umpire Certification Program (NUCP).  Information on the NUCP can be found here.

    In the meantime, please check out our Umpire Resource Center for training tips, answers to questions and so much more.  During the season, if you cannot find an answer to a question or rule, please contact our UIC, Trevor Selanders, at [email protected].

    Umpire Registration

    All new and returning Umpires are required to complete the Registration Form and email to the Umpire in Chief at [email protected].  This will ensure we have all your current information.

    CWLL Umpire Registration Form 2023

    Umpire Equipment

    Prior to the start of the season, all new Umpires will be provided with an official Umpire hat, shirt, ball bag, brush, indicator, and rule book.  Umpires must supply all other clothing i.e. pants, shoes, belt, etc.

    If you did not receive Umpire equipment and or do not own your own, or an Umpire forgot their equipment, there will be equipment in the storage bins at all ball diamonds.  If you are unsure of the code of the lock, simply ask one of the coaches as they will know it.  Please take good care of the equipment, it is there for all of our safety and use.

    Rules

    Rules

    Below are links to the 2023 rules changes.

    An excellent document is the 2023 Little League Umpire School Rules Instruction Manual.  Not only does it provide all of the rules, there are helpful hints to assist in interpreting specific rules.

    Test your Umpiring knowledge here: Online Umpire Quiz

    Umpire Resources

    The Little League umpire is essential to the operation of every Little League program.
    It is not enough to know the rules of the games of baseball, however. Being a Little League Umpire also means being able to fairly and impartially enforce those rules in the context of a game for kids.

    Little League Umpires should never strive to be the center of attention. They should let the children be the stars. In fact, it’s been said that the best-umpired game is the one in which nobody could remember who the Umpire was.
    Veteran Little League Umpires will say the highest praise they receive is a “good game, blue,” comment from a child.

    Some of the tips you will find on this Umpire Resource Center are very basic, while others are more advanced. So this is designed to be useful for any umpire at any level of Little League – even for someone who is just thinking about umpiring. We’ll add more content from time to time, so keep checking back for updated tips.

    And, of course, the Umpire Resource Center is free. It’s yet another benefit of membership in the world’s largest, and most respected youth sports organization -- Little League.

    So get started, and click on https://www.littleleague.org/umpires/.

    Umpiring Techniques

    The Basic Six

    Please refer to the Minors/Majors 60’ Mechanics document and and Int/Junior/Senior 90’ Mechanics which reviews the proper field positioning for Umpires during games.

    CWLL NEWS SPOTLIGHT

    This would be a link to the website and or a promotion from the sponsor that is specific to the little league

    Becoming an Umpire - What it Takes!

    A must see Sports Science video with an inside look at the difficulties of being an umpire.

    Volunteering!

    Calgary West Little League (CWLL) is a volunteer run organization. Parent participation is essential to ensuring that the baseball program is successful and registration fees are kept reasonable. Head coaches, coaches, parent managers, umpires and league officials are all volunteers. Volunteer Today!

    Contact the Calgary West Little League Today!

    If you would like more information on Calgary West Little League. fill out the form and we’ll contact you as soon as possible.