Go Camping

When I decided to get into officiating, I understood right away that being an umpire required a new set of skills. From years as a player and a coach, I knew how the game was played but if I wanted to be "Blue" or "Mr. Umpire", I was going to need more schooling. Where did I go? The Southern Umpires Camp.

The camp "is designed for the amateur experienced or beginning umpire". After each time I've attended, I could not wait to get back on the field. There are five professional instructors -- two from MLB, one from the MLB minor leagues and two Division 1 collegiate umpires. They also have an experienced support staff. The schooling was intense with classroom sessions combined with video instruction and on-field drilling. Sixty or so of us graduate with tremendous knowledge and confidence.

My classmates are always a mix of beginners and experienced guys, some with a rec league background and others that had already officiated at the small college level. Most wanted to get into the high school mix. Held outside of Atlanta, the class draws from from all over Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Alabama.

The focus at this camp is the two-man system, properly calling balls & strikes, managing the game and some of the more common rules. The same organization also offers a three-man focused camp. I encourage you to check it out:

www.baseballumpirescamp.com/southern.html