Review of Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic

2011 Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic

September 15-18, 2011

Springfield, Missouri

Ramada Oasis Convention Center

Cost: $400.00

Being a good umpire requires proficiency in three areas: rules, situations, and mechanics. Rules training is a matter of hard work and study. Handling situations largely comes from experience.

Proper mechanics is acquired from sweat equity.

You can’t simply read about how to umpire, you have to get out and do it. That is why camps and clinics are so important to an umpire’s education. Being in position, employing good timing, and using proper mechanics are essential to good umpiring. These skills are not learned over night and must be drilled.

The Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic

The Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic is one of the elite college umpire clinics in the nation. Each year, the clinic draws college level umpires from around the Midwest for four days of training in Springfield, Missouri.

The clinic is headquartered at the Ramada Oasis Convention Center, indoor instruction takes place at the Hammons Field indoor training facility, and games are held at various sites around Springfield. The Ramada conference facilities were good. The Ramada offered a special room rate that included breakfast. A restaurant and bar located inside the Ramada was also very comfortable and the staff was friendly. The Hammons indoor facility is spacious and easily accommodated the entire group.

The Instructors

A camp or clinic is only as good as its instructors. At some clinics the instructors are mere figureheads. They may sit in the stands and watch while cracking a joke or telling a story. The instructors at the MidAmerican Advanced Umpire Clinic teach. They are very “hands-on” and provide each student with intelligent feedback.

The student-instructor ratio is around four to one. That is much better than you typically get at a weekend umpire clinic; however the real difference is in the quality of the instructor that you get. At the Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic, you have a 100% chance of being paired with an instructor who has worked the College World Series, or who has extensive experience in professional baseball. This really is an impressive list:

Dick Runchey - Five College World Series, first umpire inducted into the College Baseball Foundation Hall of Fame.

Joe Burleson - Four College World Series; 2008 Olympics;  Major League Baseball AAA Umpire Supervisor.

Jeff Henrichs - Three College World Series

Randy Bruns - Three College World Series; eight years professional umpire

Mike Morris – four NCAA regionals

Clint Fagan – Current AAA/MLB call up umpire. Clint was called up to work MLB games in Kansas City and Minnesota while at this clinic.

Chris Coskey – One College World Series

Greg Chittenden – seven years professional umpire

Along with the instructors, there were other umpires and assigners who attended the clinic:

Rich Fetchiet - three College World Series, Supervisor of Baseball Umpires for Big Ten Conference, Big Twelve Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Horizon League, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Great Lakes Valley Conference, North Coast Athletic Conference, Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Mid-Central Collegiate Conference, the Collegiate Baseball Umpires Alliance and is Co-Supervisor of the Big East Conference.

Rick Denny - Supervisor of Umpires for the MIAA (NCAA D-II) & KCAC (NAIA).

Assignor for several midwest colleges (NCAA D-I thru JUCO).

Shawn Vellek - Supervisor of Umpires for the Northern Sun (NCAA D-II); Assignor for several midwest colleges (NCAA D-I thru JUCO)

Bob Bainter - owner of the Oceanside Umpire Training Seminar and 10 years professional umpire

Jason Blackburn - owner of the Mid-American Umpire Clinic and college a umpire

My Experience

The first night at the clinic was a meet and greet at the Ramada, then off to the Hammons Field indoor training facility for cage work. Half of the students stayed at the indoor facility to work on plate mechanics. This was a time to get initially meet the instructors and fine-tune your plate mechanics. The other half of the group went to review and discuss video of special rule situations with Joe Burleson, Dick Runchey, and Randy Bruns. This was a great opportunity to sit and listen to how top flight umpires apply the rules in difficult situations.

The morning of the second day the entire group met at a local college field and ran through taking plays on the infield, and three man rotations. This is an advanced three man clinic, so umpires are expected to have a solid foundation in three man mechanics. The benefit of this clinic is not in learning the three man umpire system; its learning advanced three man mechanics. This on-field training was very good and included advanced techniques and hints for better umpiring.

In the afternoon of the second day we split into groups and worked college level games around Springfield. Instructors were assigned to the groups as evaluators, and each student worked innings on the plate, at first base, and at third base. The student’s work is video taped so he can review his performance at home. At the end of the innings the students receive a written evaluation.

While working the games, the instructor(s) give immediate feedback to the student. In many cases an instructor will move onto the field to make adjustments while the game proceeds. I have attended several clinics that use this same “instant feedback” method. This is the most common format for umpire camps and clinics, and frankly, it’s awful. Trying to umpire with an instructor in your ear is very distracting. In many cases the umpire’s attention is divided when he is trying to make a suggested adjustment while the game is occurring. Consequently, the student does not receive a fair and objective evaluation, nor is the instruction very effective.

Many amateur umpires attend clinics to be seen by assigners. This is unfortunate because the “instant feedback” method does not provide the assigner with an objective look at the umpire’s skills. Likewise, just working a few innings does not provide a good basis for a fair evaluation.

After working college level games on Friday, students and instructors met at a Ramada conference room for finger foods. The instructors told war stories and answered student questions. There was a cash bar, so the conversation was lively.

More college games were planned for Saturday, but then something wonderful happened. The rain-rain-rain came down-down-down all over the Springfield area and washed out all of our games for the weekend!

A rainout would cause a panic for many clinics. I attended this clinic with six friends from around the Midwest, and we all wondered how the rain would affect the clinic schedule. Some even discussed leaving early. I have been to clinics where an unexpected event throws the whole clinic out of whack.

Fortunately, clinic organizers Greg Chittenden and Chris Coskey were well prepared. The group moved indoors to the Springfield Cardinals indoor facility at Hammons Field.  Supervised games and evaluations were replaced with more detailed work in plate and field mechanics.

Some of the best instruction I have ever received occurred while it rained that weekend. Notably, Clint Fagan and Joe Burleson put on a graduate level umpiring seminar in taking plays at second base. This advanced instruction was extremely insightful.

I was also fortunate to have Dick Runchey supervise my case group. Dick gave us a situation and we performed the proper mechanic. For instance: “Runner on first. Bunted ball down first base line hits the batter outside the box.” Then the plate umpire performed the proper mechanic just as in a live game while Dick gave feedback and instruction.

Since this is an advanced clinic, the group discussed advanced topics like, “What makes a good partner?” Other topics included handling situations with coaches and players, and professionalism. These topics were especially educational since they were discussed by top flight amateur college umpires, and not current professionals who have a different perspective.

The Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic is working closely with the Collegiate Baseball Umpires Alliance, the major college assigning organization in the Midwest, to identify and develop quality umpires. During the clinic each umpire was registered, profiled, and placed into a CBUA database that is available to CBUA assigning officials.

Critique

My experience at the Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic was outstanding. However, I wonder if I would have felt the same way if it had not rained. I recommend that future clinics incorporate more consecutive innings for a proper evaluation, and dedicate more time for advanced instruction on the field and in the classroom. This weekend clinic is an excellent opportunity to learn advanced techniques from some of the best college umpires in the nation. That is the real value of the clinic.

Fair or Foul?

This is the best umpire clinic I have attended. The staff and facilities were excellent. The clinic is highly specialized and focused on the three man system for college baseball. Everything that was discussed was relevant and important to improving my ability to work college baseball games. I call the Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic absolutely FAIR!

Review of the Mid-American Umpire Clinic

Earlier this year I interviewed Jason Blackburn, owner of the Mid-American Umpire Clinic in Springfield, Missouri. After our interview Jason invited me to the camp to see his training first-hand. Although Springfield is only a three hour drive from my home, I was a little skeptical about attending the clinic. The cost is extremely low at $125.00, so how good could it be, right? It sounded like a clinic run by Jason and his buddies. Despite my reservations, I accepted Jason’s invitation and in early September I drove to Springfield for the clinic.

Staff
The first thing I noticed was that I was correct in my assumption regarding the clinic staff: Jason Blackburn and his buddies do run the clinic. However, this clinic is not an excuse for the instructors to get together and tell a bunch of war stories. The future of any umpire clinic depends on the quality of the staff and the ability to instruct, so Jason surrounds himself with highly qualified and experienced umpire instructors (who also happen to be his friends and umpire colleagues). The staff is very knowledgeable, stayed on task, and were willing to take the extra time to answer all of our questions throughout the weekend. The staff includes:

Jason Blackburn - Missouri Valley Conference Umpire
Rick Denny - MIAA Conference Supervisor of Umpires
Greg Chittenden - Former AAA Minor League Umpire
Matt Deane - Current Minor League Umpire
Jeff Spisak - Missouri Valley Conference Umpire
Greg Harmon - Missouri Valley Conference Umpire
John Routh - Missouri Valley Conference Umpire
Steve Govero - MIAA Conference Umpire
Nick Ramos - RMAC Conference Umpire
Scott Maid - MIAA Conference Umpire

The Mid-American Umpire Clinic is not a “boot camp” (although instructor John Routh is a former Marine), but it's not about holding hands and singing folk songs either. Jason and his instructors are more like your older brother and his buddies. They are critical and quick to point out your short-comings, but these guys are serious about your improvement and are committed to ensuring that you leave the clinic a better umpire.

All of the instructors are fantastic. While each student received the attention of different instructors, three stood out to me personally: Jason Blackburn, John Routh, and Greg Harmon. Jason is very detail-oriented and picked apart my plate work. It was very enlightening to me to receive his feedback. John and Greg are similar in their easy-going personalities, but are very specific in ensuring that the student executes the proper field mechanics. Both John and Greg took the extra time to explain some fine points of proper field mechanics, and I am grateful for their instruction. Throughout the weekend the instructors treated each of us as equals in the umpire fraternity. In fact, a few weeks after the clinic I was invited to meet Jason Blackburn and John Routh at the University of Missouri to watch them work a Mizzou game and talk umpiring. Great umpires and even better people!

Instruction
As umpires it is difficult to gauge our performance, strengths and weaknesses. No one keeps score of the umpire’s calls. We don’t have a box score. That is why it is important to have an experienced umpire evaluator scrutinize your work. As umpires we take a lot of abuse. It is a difficult concept to pay for more criticism. However, a critical evaluation is exactly what an umpire needs to grow and advance.

On Friday evening the students were divided into four cage groups for plate mechanics at a local school gymnasium. Two instructors critiqued the student’s plate work while being video taped, while a third reviewed the tape with the student after the session. After the plate work, the cage group rotated to a class discussion of field mechanics led by former AAA umpire Greg Chittenden. The classwork continued that evening with classes on pitching rules and the umpire's mental preparation for a game. The mental preparation discussion is a unique feature jointly developed by Jason Blackburn and Scott Maid, a licensed psychologist. This presentation offered insight into improving focus and concentration, as well as imagining and relaxation techniques. The presentation was worth the price of the clinic alone.

Saturday was a busy day of evaluation and classroom discussion. The students were paired up to alternate plate and field duties. I worked my innings with Casey Campbell, a younger guy from Mt. Vernon, Missouri, with aspirations for attending the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in January. Casey and I worked well together. I spent four innings on the bases and two on the plate and received written evaluations and immediate feedback on my work. The games were of good quality and played by high school and college teams throughout the weekend.

The M.A.U.C. instructors were often on the field with the students for immediate feedback and correction. Anyone who has attended a clinic or camp can attest that it is very difficult to break bad habits and implement new techniques while being evaluated - and don’t forget officiating the game! Even though Jason knew I would review his clinic, he did not take it easy on me. I learned a great deal from his honest critique.

For those ready to advance from high school to college ball, there were several assigners at the camp including Rick Denny, Supervisor of Umpires for the MIAA and umpire assigner for teams in the Northern Sun and Midlands Conferences. Rick got a good look at all of the students over the weekend.

Saturday continued with evening classwork covering appeals and base awards, interference/obstruction, umpire professionalism, and handling situations. Saturday concluded with a late dinner at a local bar (the instructors paid for the meal!). Jeff Spisak entertained with his animated stories from the minor leagues. Suffice it to say that Jeff Spisak and his stories are a whole other blog entry! Additionally Rex Mehrhoff from Between the Lines displayed the latest umpire equipment and uniform items.

On Sunday the students practiced three-man mechanics. There were three high school practice games scheduled throughout the day, and everyone that wanted three-man instruction was afforded the opportunity for both plate and base work. The instructors stayed on the field with the students. I took advantage of some opportunities and worked 3 innings on the field and two behind the plate.

Cost

The cost for this clinic is a tremendous bargain. This year’s cost was $125.00, and the clinic offers a special room rate and will book you either solo or with a roommate to split the room cost. Students of the Mid-American Umpire Clinic receive $200.00 off the tuition at Wendelstedt’s school, which makes attending this clinic free for those students planning to attend pro umpire school.

Bottom Line
Perhaps the most impressive thing about this clinic is the number of repeat students. During the weekend I met several students that make the clinic an annual event.

That's not to say that this is a local clinic. I was surprised to learn that during the last ten years the clinic has attracted both male and female students ranging in age from 12-72, from places such as New York, Florida, Louisiana, Utah and everywhere in between. In fact, this year I met Alex Ironside from Perth, Australia (Alex is pictured at right with John Routh). Yep, Alex is a member of the Western Australian Baseball Umpires Association featured in a recent Midwest ump interview with WABU’s president David Gripper. It’s a small world.

I suppose the highest praise I can give the Mid-American Umpire Clinic is that I will return for next year's clinic, September 10-12, 2010 in Springfield, MO. The M.A.U.C. offers an unbeatable combination of instruction and low cost. I highly recommend this clinic.

Review of the Vic Voltaggio Umpire Camp - August 7-10, 2009, St. Michael, MN

Remember your first umpire clinic? It was full of helpful advice like “don’t verbally call a fair ball” and “don’t signal an out with your left hand.” For most of us that initial training was just enough to get us on the field, scared and unsure of ourselves. With the helpful tips of some “experienced” umpires, and through baptism by fire, many of us progress through youth ball to the high school ranks. Most amateur umpires pick up what we can, where we can.

However, at some point better training is necessary to improve and advance to upper level assignments. The decision to attend a camp outside of your local area really comes down to one issue: value. How valuable the training when compared to the time, effort, and expense of attending?

Umpire Teacher
Over the past year I have been watching the development of Umpire Teacher with great interest. Umpire Teacher provides on-line umpire training through forum discussions with instructors and video lessons. Umpire Teacher is available to anyone with an internet connection, 24 hours a day. This delivery method is unique in the umpire world and provides a tremendous opportunity for both beginning and advanced training. Umpire Teacher offers some free video lessons on its YouTube site, and a free ten day trial.

The Camp
Umpire Teacher continues to expand its training options, and this summer Umpire Teacher hosted the first Vic Voltaggio Umpire Camp, August 7-10, 2009, in St. Michael, Minnesota. The camp is the brainchild of Umpire Teacher owner and former professional umpire Mike “Bugsy” Segal and former American League Umpire Vic Voltaggio. Bugsy and Vic have previously conducted camps and clinics in Florida, and now operate the Umpire Teacher website. The Vic Voltaggio Umpire Camp is staffed by the same instructors on the Umpire Teacher website, so students have the opportunity to interact with their on-line instructors. This is a unique opportunity to form an on-going relationship with the Umpire Teacher instructors that is available 365 days a year. The concept behind Umpire Teacher is to provide continuous and on-going umpire education. Recognizing that certain aspects of umpire training are more effectively taught on the field and in person, the camp was developed as an important part of the umpire’s education and provides in-person feedback to the student.

The Instructors
Meeting and learning first-hand from the Umpire Teacher instructors was without question the best part of the camp. First, Bugsy Segal is every bit as energetic as he appears in the Umpire Teacher videos. He was a perfect host and very entertaining! Bugsy gave his instructors the latitude to teach while overseeing the camp’s progress.

Vic Voltaggio is a Vietnam vet and former marine drill instructor, New Jersey police officer, and American League Umpire. Can you say, “Tough as nails?” While Vic may initially appear intimidating, he is actually a very approachable and generous guy. Vic (perhaps as a result of his military background) cuts through the B.S. and gives you what you need to survive on the baseball battlefield. No kidding! Vic instructs in a straight forward, no-nonsense manner. When things matter, Vic tells the right way to do it and the practical reason behind it.

Frank Leparik is a prototypical New Yorker, but don’t let that New York attitude fool you. Frank’s passion is umpiring and he is a gifted teacher. I was highly impressed with his energy and patience. Frank gave as much time and focus to the first ten minutes of training as he did the last ten minutes.

Erik Anderson was the instructor that surprised me the most. Erik is a local college umpire, a younger guy, and a little quiet. It turns out Erik was the perfect third instructor for the camp. Erik’s calm easy going manner made him easy to approach and to ask questions. Throughout the camp Erik worked one on one with students having difficulty with drills, and he answered student questions from everything from rules interpretations to strike call mechanics.

In addition to the core instructors, the camp’s guest instructors included former pro umpire Ken Lehner, Division III Umpire Coordinator George Drouches, and baseball rules expert Larry Gallagher.

The Facilities
The facilities at the camp were very good. St. Michael is a very pleasant little town about twenty minutes northwest of Minneapolis. The camp was conducted at two locations: classes were held at the Country Inn and Suites in Albertville, and the field work was at a park facility in St. Michael about 5 minutes south of the hotel. The Country Inn and Suites offers free breakfast and the facilities were very clean and friendly. [I have to comment that everyone I met while in Minnesota was very friendly.] The Country Inn and Suites is located adjacent to the Albertville Premium Outlets, 100 outlet stores! There are also several restaurants within walking distance. My wife and five year old daughter accompanied me to Minnesota and had a terrific time visiting the Mall of America and the outlet malls while shopping for back-to-school clothes.

The field complex is located at the Parks and Recreation field which is very well maintained. It consists of one grass infield adult baseball field and two adult softball fields. There are two outdoor batting cages, and a concession stand with a large pavilion in the center of the complex.

Instruction
The camp was divided into about 1/3 classroom, 2/3 field work. The camp was a good mixture of beginning and advanced mechanics and rules. Our field work work began with an early morning review of basic signal mechanics, and then continued with an intensive review of proper footwork at first and second base. One highlight of the camp was when Vic showed us special footwork he developed for calling a steal attempt at second base. The footwork greatly enhances the angle and distance of the play. Since this camp I have been practicing Vic’s footwork and look forward to using it during the fall baseball season. If you want the footwork, you’ll have to attend the camp. Sorry!

The students began cage work on day two of the camp. Vic Voltaggio and Frank Leparik critiqued every aspect of the student’s stance, head positioning and movement, timing, and call presentation. Vic insisted that the students dress in full gear for the cage work drills, to simulate game conditions. Make sure you bring an umpire uniform (for bases and plate) and all necessary plate gear for cage work. Classroom materials (pens, paper, etc.) are provided by the camp.

The cage work continued on day three with more instruction from Frank with Vic popping in from time to time. Whether on the field or in the cages, Vic was a constant presence and ensured that each student received the proper attention and instruction. Day three ended with an opportunity for live game action and a critique by Vic Voltaggio. While awaiting our turn on the field, students were able to listen to Vic analyze the student umpires.

The Vic Voltaggio Umpire Camp is much more than the typical umpire camp. A good example is the camp party at a local bowling alley. That’s right! Throughout the camp students were treated more like family than customers. We had a beer at the bowling alley with our instructors and listened to Vic recount his run-ins with famous managers. This atmosphere should not have surprised me since it is exactly the same tone and attitude that students experience on the Umpire Teacher website: informal, respectful, and focused on improvement.

One unique feature of the camp was an unbiased discussion of umpire equipment. During the last day Vic gave us pro tips on gear and proper wear. The students were also able to inspect and discuss umpire apparel and gear from many different manufacturers. The camp ended with training for controlling on-the-field situations, including ejections.

The Bottom Line
Was the camp valuable to me? My answer is an unqualified “YES!” The Vic Voltaggio Umpire Camp teaches the basics including footwork, mechanics, and rules. However, the real value of attending this camp is in the on-going relationships that I developed with the Umpire Teacher instructors. These relationships will continue to pay dividends as I learn from Umpire Teacher on-line and progress as an umpire.

Interview with Jason Blackburn of The Mid-American Umpire Clinic

Today I have the opportunity to interview Jason Blackburn, owner of The Mid-American Umpire Clinic in Springfield, Missouri.

MWU: Can you give us an overview of The Mid-American Umpire Clinic and the training a student can expect?

Blackburn: The Mid-American Umpire Clinic is designed for umpires who work high school or any level of amateur baseball and are looking to advance to the college level or to just improve their career. This is our tenth year for the clinic and we have trained some of the top young talent in the country. Over that time six of our graduates have gone onto the professional umpires schools and have been placed in professional baseball. One of our graduates finished at the top of the class at the Wendelstedt Umpire School . Countless umpires have advanced their careers to the college level and received post-season high school umpiring assignments after attending our clinic.

We are a Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School Affiliated Clinic, and we will have additional rules and mechanics packets at our clinic that will help prepare any umpire who would like to attend the 5-week school in Daytona Beach , Florida . Any umpires deciding to attend Harry’s school after attending our clinic will be able to obtain grants through the Umpire Education Tuition Assistance Foundation.

As far as training, we give everyone the proper basics. Our philosophy is that we give you a solid foundation to build your umpiring career. When you build a house, you don’t start nailing boards together; you start with a sturdy foundation and build from there. We focus on plate work, the two-umpire system, and rules knowledge. We put two instructors in each cage and video tape the plate work sessions. Additional instructors review the tapes with the umpires immediately after the cage session so that the instruction is fresh in their minds.

We discuss the two-umpire system in the classroom and demonstrate it and walk the umpires through it on the field. We also have several games over the weekend that the umpires will work and put what they’ve learned to use.

We have several rules discussions throughout the weekend, focusing on Interference and Obstruction, Appeals and Awards, Line-ups and Substitutions, Pitching Rules and Balk Enforcement. We also go over Situational Management, Handling Rain Situations, Professionalism at which time Rick Denny, MIAA Conference Supervisor of Umpires, shares what he looks for in potential umpires, and Mental Preparation which is an amazing presentation that has received incredible feedback the last couple of years.

MWU: Can you give some background information about yourself and your staff?

Blackburn: I graduated from the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in 2000 and umpired four seasons in independent professional baseball. I currently umpire NCAA D-I baseball in the Missouri Valley Conference. I have umpired four NCAA D-II Regionals and four MIAA Conference Tournaments.

Joe Judkowitz is my chief instructor. He also graduated from the Wendelstedt Umpire School in 2000. He spent eight years in the minor leagues, working up to AAA. During that time he worked the playoffs or championship series in the Florida State League, Eastern League and International League. He was also selected for the Arizona Fall League. Joe currently umpires NCAA D-I college baseball in the Atlantic Sun Conference and worked his first NCAA D-II Regional last year.

Rick Denny is the Supervisor of Umpires for the MIAA (Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association). It is one of the most competitive NCAA Division II leagues in the country with teams like Central Missouri, Emporia State and Nebraska-Omaha who have all been to the World Series in the past few years.

Greg Chittenden is also a former AAA professional umpire. He graduated from the Brinkman-Froemming Umpire School and spent seven years in the game, working the last three in the Pacific Coast League. He is currently the president of the Mid-America Umpires located in Springfield , Missouri . In my opinion, Greg is one of the best clinicians in the country.

Aaron Banks graduated from the Jim Evans Umpiring Academy and instructed there during his time in the minor leagues. Aaron worked up to AA before retiring.

Mark Hutchison graduated from the Brinkman-Froemming Umpire School and spent five years in the minor leagues. He currently umpires in the MIAA and has worked several conference tournaments.

Matt Deane attended the Mid-American Umpire Clinic in 2007, went on to the Wendelstedt Umpire School and is starting his second year in the minor leagues.

John Routh is an umpire in the Missouri Valley Conference as well as the MIAA and Great Lakes Valley where he has been selected to work their conference tournament.

Steve Govero umpires in the MIAA. Earlier in his career he worked in the Missouri Valley Conference and the Mid-Continent Conference (which is now the Summit League). He has umpired several NCAA D-II Regionals.

Scott Maid umpires in the MIAA. He also has his doctorate in psychology and has spent numerous hours researching and putting together our Mental Preparation presentation.

MWU: What is the clinic’s typical student-instructor ratio? How much hands-on time should a student expect?

Blackburn: Obviously our student-instructor ratio varies from year to year, but our cutoff number is 40 students, so at the most it would be 4:1. Umpires can expect a great deal of hands-on time. Friday night we get everyone through 2 sessions of plate work which we video tape and review. Saturday morning we walk everyone through the 2-umpire system then that afternoon they will umpire several innings of college baseball. On Sunday they will umpire additional innings for high school baseball. When they are not umpiring actual games, we have cage sessions set up to get additional plate work opportunities.

MWU: What set of rules and mechanics does the clinic use and teach?

Blackburn: We base our rules discussions on OBR and modify where there are NCAA or NFHS rules differences. We do this for three reasons. Number one, high school umpires also work various summer leagues that use different sets of rules, be it OBR, NCAA, NFHS, or some combination of those. So for us to specifically address any one particular set of rules would be doing a disservice to our students. Number two, umpires looking to advance to the college level will likely begin umpiring Junior College and NAIA level games. Junior Colleges use NCAA rules and NAIA uses OBR with modifications so we need to prepare our students for that step. Finally, number three, all rules are based on the MLB rulebook. As you can see by looking at our instructors bios, several have been to professional umpire school where the rule book is dissected for five weeks. We have a thorough knowledge of the professional rules and their interpretations, so we teach those interpretations and adjust when there are rules differences. We do spend time on the safety rules and specific rules that pertain to each level.

MWU: What are some advantages of your three day clinic over a single day clinic?

Blackburn: A one day clinic is really only able to highlight certain areas of the rules and mechanics. A three day clinic is able to get umpires into a solid stance, proper positioning and give them better rules knowledge and understanding of their interpretations. Umpires are also able to get more repetitions and it’s a better opportunity to be seen by supervisors and assignors.

MWU: How important is this type of training to an umpire that is considering a move to college ball or a professional career?

Blackburn: I feel it is extremely important. We give you a head start. For umpires looking to move into college baseball, I said earlier that we teach the “proper basics.” What I mean by that is that we teach the things that should be second nature to college umpires. If someone can walk away from our clinic with a good understanding of what we taught, they have a major advantage over umpires who haven’t been to camps or clinics. Additionally, umpires who want to move into college baseball must be seen by the conference supervisors and assignors. Word of mouth only goes so far.

For umpires who are considering attending one of the 5-week professional umpire schools with the desire to get a job in professional baseball, we have basically condensed the 5-week schools into 3 days. At umpire school they spend the first two weeks breaking down your bad habits and teaching you the proper umpiring techniques. By attending our clinic you will have a 2-week head start on the competition, and that’s what it is, you are competing against everyone else for very few spots at PBUC. Six umpires who have attended our clinic over the years have been placed in professional baseball and one finished at the top of the class at Wendelstedt’s. I think our track record speaks for itself.

MWU: Do you offer group discounts?

Blackburn: We do offer group discounts for 3 or more umpires signing up at the same time. They will need to contact me (jason@midamericanumpireclinic.com or (417) 463-7241) before registering to obtain a group rate. The discount increases based on the number of umpires in the group.

MWU: I found the training on “mental preparation” intriguing. Can you tell us more about that?

Blackburn: Umpires are expected to be perfect. We know that we will never be perfect, but we can be focused.

Think back to a game in which you really struggled. What did you do before the game? Were you late? Was your partner late? Were you having problems at work? Did you have a fight with your spouse? These reasons and others can cause you to lose concentration and focus during the game.

In order to be focused to do a good job we have to spend some time getting our minds prepared to umpire. This presentation explains the importance of preparation, shows you how to implement preparation into your pre-game, and introduces you to some psychological techniques to get prepared and to maintain your focus throughout the game.

MWU: What if it rains?

Blackburn: We make every effort to get outside. However, we cannot guarantee that the weather will be cooperative so we do have plans in place if weather becomes an issue. We have indoor facilities available to do plate and base work. We will spend more time in the classroom discussing rules. We may even go to the field to conduct a hands-on discussion on handling rain situations.

MWU: What more can you tell us about The Mid-American Umpire Clinic?

Blackburn: The 2009 clinic will be September 11-13 in Springfield , Missouri at the Clarion Inn & Drury University . We understand how the economy is right now so we keep the cost of the clinic very affordable, at just $125.00 before August 8 and $150.00 after that date. I don’t think you can find a 3-day clinic anywhere that provides you as much as we do at a better cost. Hotel rooms are available at a discount rate of $64.00 per night based on double occupancy. Umpires will also receive a discount at the hotel bar at registration. Again, groups or associations can contact me directly for discounts on 3 or more umpires.

We take our jobs seriously, but we also have a lot of fun over the weekend, including a social time Saturday evening at a local Springfield restaurant.

No matter what your personal goals are, we are committed to making you a better umpire.

Mike Walsh Memorial Advanced Umpire Clinic

The 3rd Annual Mike Walsh Memorial Advanced Umpire Clinic will be held July 31st thru August 2nd, 2009, in Carmel, Indiana.

From the website:

"The Mike Walsh Memorial Advanced Umpire Clinic was created to give umpires the opportunity to gain knowledge from some of the top instructors in the Mid-West to help them be successful at the college level.

The Clinic is designed for umpires who are looking to work baseball at the collegiate level or for those looking to acquire the skills necessary to advance to the next level. It will provide a solid base of knowledge through classroom, cage work, and live game experience. The student to instructor ratio is set at 3:1 to give maximum personal attention in small group settings. This will provide you with a foundation for a successful collegiate career.

The Mike Walsh Memorial Advanced Umpire Clinic will be held in conjunction with the Indiana Bulls fall tournament. Students will get the opportunity to work two full games with video feedback. Instructors will work with students to enhance mechanics, positioning, and judgment. Students will receive a written evaluation of their performance in accordance with NCAA standards, as well as suggestions on skills necessary to advance."

Check-in is from 9-10 a.m. Friday, July 31 at the Jameson Inn in Indianapolis. Costs include a non-refundable deposit of $150.00 if paid before July 1st, or $175.00 if paid after July 1, and $100.00 is due at check-in.

Umpire Teacher Review

The first thing you notice when visiting Mike “Bugsy” Segal’s Umpire Teacher website is that Mr. Segal is a man of vision in the field of training future umpires. His vision corresponds to the changing way people learn and obtain information in this age of computers.

The second thing you notice is, and I mean this with all sincerity: Bugsy is nuts! Umpire Teacher is charged with an energy that is infectious. It comes straight from the top, from Bugsy himself. He obviously has a passion for umpiring and teaching. Bugsy’s high energy style keeps the student actively engaged in each lesson (as well as entertained).

Umpire Teacher is the first umpire instructional website to use video and message boards for feedback. Students view video lessons and can ask questions directly to Bugsy, retired MLB umpire Vic Voltaggio, or to the “power team” members which includes professional and veteran amateur umpires.

During the video lessons Bugsy likes to emphasize the important points and adds his comments. The insight is terrific and really drives the point home. The best thing about the video lessons is that you can return to the lesson for reference at a later date. The first lesson I reviewed was a beginning lesson about the strike zone that featured a discussion by the late John McSherry while at Bugsy’s camp a few years back. A sample of this lesson is provided free at the Umpire Teacher YouTube site.

After discussing the basic mechanics of the strike zone and positioning, I moved on to the advanced strike zone video. These videos are terrific in teaching the large and fine points of calling balls and strikes. The mechanics are broken down into simple, easy to follow instructions. The video is clear and smooth, and the audio is exceptional. All lessons are instructive and insightful for both the beginner and the veteran umpire.

The price plans are reasonable for the information provided. For example, $9.95 per month gets you in the door as a paying member (AA Member Level), while $124.95 gives you total access for one year (Big League Level). The price difference mostly involves a larger video screen (which makes sense because of the increased bandwidth. Larger bandwidth means a greater cost to the company). I would recommend trying the site out at the $9.95 level before upgrading as the entry level video is very acceptable.

Umpire Teacher is very generous in offering free content that I encourage you to check out. First, Umpire Teacher has a YouTube site with free video samples. Also check out the Tips of the Week. Finally, Bugsy writes a newsletter that you can signup for here. Some past newsletters are archived here.

Online continuing education is an idea that all umpires should get behind. Continuing education is a real problem for most umpires during the season largely resulting from a busy schedule and burn out. Self study can be tedious. However, the Umpire Teacher website is open 24 hours a day with all lessons available anytime, and trust me, Bugsy is never tedious. Do yourself a favor, skip two fun meals at your local burger stand and pay the $9.95 for this training.

Mile High Advanced Umpire Clinic

From the Mile High Advanced Umpire Clinic June 17-21, 2009 in Denver, Colorado:

"The Mile High Advanced Umpire Clinic is the culmination of the Umpire Training, Evaluation and Promotion (UTEP) program and is used to develop and prepare motivated individuals for advancement to higher levels of Baseball officiating.

Our staff of highly trained and experienced Professional, Semi-pro and NCAA Collegiate clinicians tailor our program to the needs of each student. Students are taught the fundamentals of Plate mechanics, head height, positioning, proper use of eyes, working the "slot" and making the call. Video tapes of the students are reviewed and critiqued for additional reinforcement of the in-cage instructions.

The field portion of the clinic concentrates on 2 and 3 man mechanics and is reinforced with video instructions and immediate feedback from our qualified team of instructors.

The clinic is held in conjunction with live competitive baseball games designed to build confidence and knowledge in 2 and 3 man mechanics. This provides the opportunity to use the skills acquired in the instructional portion of the clinic during real game situations."

Cost is $175.00, but get this: they pay you for the games you officiate while at the clinic!

Students also receive a clinic t-shirt, clinic photo, and a certificate of completion signed by the clinicians and instructors.

Mid-American Umpire Clinic

The tentative dates for the 2009 Mid-American Umpire Clinic are September 11-13 in Springfield, Missouri.

The Mid-American Umpire Clinic is designed for high school umpires looking to improve or make the jump into college baseball.



Cost is $125.00 by August 8 and $150.00 after August 8.
The registration deadline is September 1

Umpire Schools, Camps, and Clinics

Below are U.S. umpire clinics and training. If you have a clinic that you would like to include, send me an email with the name, dates, and location.






On-Line
Baseball Rules Seminar
Eight week seminar
Hosted by Midwest Ump

UmpireTeacher.com
Midwest Ump Interview
Midwest Ump Review

Alabama
Central Alabama Collegiate Umpires Association Annual Camp
Faulkner University in Montgomery Alabama
September 17-September 19, 2010

Alaska

Arizona
Arizona Umpiring Academy
Surprise, AZ
January 29-31, 2010

Arizona Sports Officials Baseball Clinic
Phoenix, AZ
October 9-10, 2010

National Collegiate Umpire School
Peoria, AZ
October 10-17, 2010

Jim Evans 2009 Desert Classic Clinic
Tucson, Arizona
October 26 - October 31, 2010

Western Regional Umpire Clinic
Peoria, AZ
Oct. 20-24, 2010

National High School Umpire School
Peoria, AZ
Oct. 24-31, 2010

Pro Umpire Camp
Phoenix, AZ
March 3-7, 2010

Arkansas

California
Major League Baseball Umpire Camp
Compton & Long Beach, CA
November 7-14, 2010

Los Angeles Unit / MLB Umpire Clinic
Compton, CA
November 6, 2010

Between the Lines School of Umpiring
Sonoma County, CA
September 10-12, 2010

Gerry Davis Sports Umpire Clinic
University of Pacific, Stockton, Ca
January 15 - 17, 2010

BBUC (Black and Blue Umpire Camp)
Sacramento, CA
November 3-7. 2010
Contact: billy@blackandblueumpirecamps.com

Colorado
The Mile High Advanced Umpire Clinic
Denver, CO
June 16-20, 2010

Connecticut

Delaware
Gerry Davis Sports Umpire Clinic
Delaware Umpires Association
Caesar Rodney High School, Kent County
September 10-12, 2010

Florida
Southwest Florida Umpire Camps
Sarasota, FL
October 2, 2010

Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring
Kissimmee, Florida
January 3, 2011 - February 5, 2011

Jim Evans 2010 Florida Classic Clinic
Kissimmee, Florida
December 27, 2010 - December 31, 2010

Wendelstedt Umpire School
Daytona Beach, Florida
January 2, 2011 - February 6, 2011

Oceanside Umpire Training Seminar
Cocoa Expo Sports Center, Cocoa, FL
February 28th-March 14th, 2011
Midwest Ump Interview

MAC/MEAC 3-Man Florida Umpire Clinic
Orlando, FL
Week 1: October 17-23, 2010
Week 2: October 24-30, 2010

MEAC Camp
Daytona, FL
October 29-31, 2010

2010 Florida Collegiate Umpire Camp
Daytona, FL
October 22-24, 2010

Pro Umpire Camp
Ft. Pierce, FL
March 9-15, 2010

FHSAA State Baseball Umpire Clinic
Vero Beach Sports Village, FL
January 21-22, 2011
Other FHSAA clinics found here

Georgia
International Umpires Camp
Atlanta, Georgia
October 14-17, 2010

Southern Umpires Camp
Atlanta, Georgia
February 10-13, 2011

2010 National Umpires Association Spring Camp
Marietta, Georgia
February 20-21, 2010

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois
Great Plains Umpire Camp
LINCOLNLAND COLLEGE, Springfield, IL
October 8-10, 2010
donkingump@comcast.net

Wendelstedt Umpire School ChiTown Umpire Classic
Chicago, IL
November 19-21, 2010

Indiana
MIKE WALSH MEMORIAL ADVANCED UMPIRE CLINIC
Carmel, IN
July 30-August 1, 2010

Iowa

Kansas
Topeka Premier Umpire Clinic
Topeka, KS
September 24-26, 2010

Kentucky
Kentucky Baseball Umpires Camp
Louisville, KY
February 21, 2010

Louisiana
Wendelstedt Umpire School Bayou Umpire Classic
Covington, LA
November 26-28, 2010

Maine
State O'Maine Umpire Clinic
Windham, ME
April 24 and 25, 2010

Maryland
MAC/MEAC Advanced 2-Man Camp
Baltimore, MD
October 9-10, 2010

Massachusetts

Michigan
Bruce Doane Sr. Umpire Camp
Grand Rapids, MI
February 5-6, 2011

2011 SouthEast Michigan Umpire Camp
Livonia Stevenson HS
February 19-20, 2011

The Umpire Clinic
Battle Creek, MI
February 21, 2010

Minnesota
Vic Voltaggio Umpire Camp
St. Michael, MN
August 7-10, 2009
Midwest Ump Review

Gopher State Advanced Umpire Clinic
Rogers, MN
March 30-31, 2010

Mississippi
Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges Umpire Camp
Hinds Community College, Raymond, MS
September 17-19, 2010
Contact Robert Holloway (601) 941-6146 or champ_39@yahoo.com

Missouri
Mid-American Umpire Clinic
Springfield, Missouri
September 10-12, 2010
Midwest Ump Interview
Midwest Ump Review

Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic
Springfield, Missouri
September 16-19, 2010

Montana
Montana Umpire Clinic
Helena, Montana
December 18-19, 2009
Featuring Dana DeMuth (MLB), Hunter Wendelstedt (MLB) and Doug Eddings (MLB)
Cost: $75
Contact: Jim Knight at 406.459.8755 or jknight@helenamotors.com

Nebraska

Nevada
Rocky Mountain Advanced Umpiring Clinic
Las Vegas, NV
September 22-27, 2009

New Hampshire

New Jersey
Wendelstedt Umpire School Patriot Umpire Classic
Flemington, NJ
November 11-14, 2010

New Mexico

New York
ECUA 2-Man Umpire Clinic
Yaphank, NY
August 9-11, 2010

CBUOA/ECUA 3-Man Umpire Clinic
Yaphank, NY
September 22-26, 2010

2010 Big Apple Baseball Umpires Clinic
New York, NY
12 weeks beginning January 13, 2010

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma
National Umpire Camps
Norman, OK
February 27-March 1, 2010

Oregon
Portland Baseball Umpires Association
Jim Evans Umpire Clinic
Tigard, Oregon
March 6-8, 2009

Northwest Region (LL) Umpire Mechanics Clinic
Oregon State University - Corvallis, OR
March 19-21, 2010

Pennsylvania
Little League Umpire Clinic
Williamsport, PA
March 29-30, 2010

Rhode Island

South Carolina
Jim Evans 2010 Myrtle Beach Classic
Myrtle Beach Athletic Complex, Myrtle Beach, SC
December 7-12, 2010

South Carolina Umpire's Camp
University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
January 23-24, 2010

South Dakota

Tennessee
2010 West Tennessee Umpire Camp
Jackson State Community College, Jackson, TN
September 18-19, 2010

Texas
South Texas Umpire Clinic
San Antonio, Texas
January 28-30, 2011

2010 Baseball USA "The Yard" Advanced Umpire Camp
Houston, TX
January 22-24, 2010

Basic Umpire School
Houston, TX
August 13-15, 2010

The Umpire Life Dream Camp 2010
Arlington, TX
February 18-21, 2010

Karl Young Baseball Advanced Collegiate Umpire Camp
Houston, TX
November 12-14, 2010

Heartland Umpire Classic
Euless, TX
January 29-31 OR February 5-7, 2010

The Lone Star Baseball Umpire Camp by The Alamo
San Antonio, TX
September 3-5, 2010

The Lone Star Baseball Umpire Evaluation Camp
Waco, TX
November 5-7, 2010
November 19-21, 2010

The Lone Star Baseball Umpire Camp
Abilene, TX
November 12-14, 2010

Baseball on the Gulf Umpire Camp
Corpus Christi & Kingsville, TX
December 3-5, 2010

Utah

Vermont

Virginia
MAC/MEAC Collegiate 2-Man Camp
Harrisonburg, VA
September 18-19.2010

MEAC Camp
Williamsburg, VA
September 24-26, 2010

MAC/High School 2-Man Camp
Northern Virginia
October 1-3, 2010

Washington
2nd Annual Kitsap Umpires Camp
Bremerton, WA
October 23-25, 2009

1st Annual Lower Columbia Baseball Umpires Clinic
Mark Morris HS - Longview, WA
August 21-22, 2010

Right Call Umpire Academy
Skyhawks Park - Lacey, WA
5 weeks beginning January 25, 2011
(360) 556-6982

West Virginia
2010 PRO Performance “Elite Umpire” Development Clinic
Morgantown, WV
February 21, 2010

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Mid-Atlantic Umpire Academy

The Mid-Atlantic Umpire Academy advertises "a complete, comprehensive 2-man program designed and taught by top amateur umpires for amateur umpires." The academy takes place July 15-19, 2009, at the Virginia Sports Complex in Ruther Glen, Virginia (20 miles North of Richmond). Tuition is $350 and includes lunch and camp t-shirt.

Interview with O.U.T.S. Owner Bob Bainter

A few posts back I provided some information about a new umpire school in Cocoa, Florida: Oceanside Umpire Training School. O.U.T.S. is the brainchild of professional umpire Bob Bainter who agreed to answer a few questions about his school:


MWU: Hi Bob! Tell me a little bit about the Oceanside Umpire Training School.
Bainter: The Oceanside Umpire Training School (O.U.T.S.) is an idea that I have kicked around for a long time, and it finally came to fruition this fall. When I first started umpiring in professional baseball in 1995, I came to the Cocoa Expo for the secondary UDP (now PBUC) camp. I loved working the games, and at the time, it was also the site of the Brinkman/Froemming Umpire School. The Expo was the first place I considered for a site for O.U.T.S., and it's going to be very different than most schools and clinics. The timeframe is really the key difference, not to mention the game evaluations.

MWU: What is your staff like?
Bainter: I'm very blessed to have met and worked with the guys on my staff over the course of my career. Greg Chittenden and Darin Williams were both crew members of mine when I was a crew chief in the Eastern League (Chittenden) and in the International League (Williams). They are guys I trusted when I umpired with them, and I trust them as instructors now. Greg owns the Mid-American Umpire Clinic in Springfield, MO, so he brings a wealth of knowledge on instructing techniques and how to run a clinic/school properly. Bret Bruington, Todd Olinger, and Larry Allen are all successful collegiate umpires, with Todd and Bret working Division I NCAA and Larry getting closer to that level. I've known the three of them for almost twenty years, and I am confident that our students will find them, as well as Greg and Darin very informative, knowledgeable, and just fun to work with and learn from.

MWU: Why should an amateur umpire consider attending a school run by professional umpires?
Bainter: The main benefit of attending a school run by professional umpires is the combined experience of the staff. Lets say an umpire works 75 games a year. It would take almost 27 years to reach the 2,000 game mark. It took me 10 years of professional baseball to hit 1,700, plus another 300 or so before and after, probably 14 years total, if I remember correctly...lol...and I don't say that to toot my own horn, but when you combine our current staff experience, we have over 14,000 games between us. That's a lot of experience and a lot of "been there, done that, seen that" so when someone asks a question, we hope we have the right answer. I admire anyone who umpires any level, from tee ball to the major leagues. It takes a committment and a sense of pride and resolve unlike any other profession I know. Being a "professional" umpire doesn't make you any better than an "amateur" umpire, it's just for six months out of the year for a decade, I lived and breathed it, day in, and day out.

MWU: What does O.U.T.S. offer during a two week course that is different from a weekend clinic, or a three to five day camp?
Bainter: At O.U.T.S., we have the luxury of having two full weeks to teach our students as much as we can throw at them. Most three to five day camps go over new rules, depending on the area or the focus of the clinic (i.e., high school certifications, college, etc.). Our focus is going to be on rules and correct interpretations for whatever level the students need, plus theories of umpiring, including advanced positioning techniques, not to mention theories on handling situations, which I believe is what makes an umpire go from good to great. We also will have our students umpiring actual full games between some of the top high schools and colleges in the country. At most 3-5 day clinics, if someone is scrimmaging for the clinic, an umpire might get an inning or two in, and some clinics are just classroom work. At O.U.T.S., we will be able to watch the umpire take the techniques we teach them and give them feedback from their actual game situations. It's going to be much different than your everyday clinic.

MWU: What are the school facilities like? Is the food any good?
Bainter: The Cocoa Expo is the former spring training site of the Houston Astros and the Florida Marlins. It features your typical cloverleaf set of four baseball fields, but there is also the original stadium where the big league teams played in. The stadium is nearly 50 years old, and is a throwback to older parks, resembling an older minor league stadium from the 60's, but it's still serving it's purpose a half-century later. The original dormitories are right on the campus, complete with swimming pool, and the students will have the run of the facility, including game room, workout facilities, etc. We have our own classroom builiding, as well. As far as the food goes, students will eat at the cafeteria located in the main building. I would love to tell you that it's five-star cuisine, but that wouldn't be quite accurate...lol...but, I spent eight weeks there for four years in a row, going down before my spring training, and the food is really better than most cafeteria food you will find. The key was, I wanted to make sure the students had a choice, without having to leave campus and spending gas money and spending money just to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Students are free to go around and try the local cuisine, of course, if they'd like.

MWU: What is a typical day like at your school?
Bainter: A typical day would be breakfast, of course, followed by classroom instruction. We would then break and go out on one of the available fields for on-field demonstrations and drills (Oh! Can't forget the calisthenics!). The afternoon and evenings schedules are still being finalized once we figure out how many games will be scheduled to be played while we are in class. I want to get the students out on the field for games as much as possible. Of course, we always have to worry about the weather, but we will move things around as necessary

MWU: What kind of feedback can a student expect to receive?
Bainter: Students will be evaluated by myself and my staff not only on classroom work and on-field drills, but especially from their game situations. I plan on videotaping each game for the students, so they can review their work, and we can sit down and go over things that we observed that were both good and needing of improvment. Students will get a worksheet with their evaluation after each game, and we will review it with each individual, one on one.

MWU: How important is a recommendation from your school to an amateur umpire that wants to move on to college ball?
Bainter: Unfortunately, some of the best umpires around never get a "shot" at working college ball simply because they don't know who to talk to. Self-promotion is sometimes key to getting the games you want, but a lot of people are much more modest than that. We as a staff have connections all over the country. We will contact whichever association, assignor, etc., that a student needs us to so they can realize their dream. We will not sugar coat things to the assignors, if the students work hard and show potential, we will let the assignors know this. We can't promise placement anywhere to anyone...the professional schools can't, either...but we can get them in touch with the movers and shakers in baseball to get the students names out in front of them.

MWU: Question Nine: What is in store for the future of the school?
Bainter: Boy, good question! I want this to grow into a great training and polishing ground for all levels of umpires. I want to give amateur umpires a professional environment to learn in, not to mention the ability to get away from the cold weather, depending on their location, of course, and enjoy learning from people who truly care about the development of umpires of all levels of ability. For some people, coming here might be the closest they get to umpiring college baseball, and that's a great experience for them! I hope we are known as a great launching pad for many umpires careers!

MWU: What more can you tell us about the Oceanside Umpire Training School?
Bainter: I am excited to announce that we will offer a consolidated version of the school, since time constraints can come into play with people's lives, during the first week of the school. It will be the exact same school, but right now we plan on the majority of week two being where most of our games will be umpired. So, students can sign up for $900 and attend our school during the first week for a shortened version of O.U.T.S. (1 week) There will be more details on our website in the next day or two, but if anyone has a question they contact me at bob@outschool.biz or visit our website at http://www.outschool.biz/. My office number is 309-363-9995, and I will return each call personally to answer anything they may have a question about.

Oceanside Umpire Training School

A new two week umpire school has sprung up in Cocoa, Florida.

"At O.U.T.S., we have taken a middle-of-the road approach. Two weeks allows us the best of both worlds: A shorter time frame that allows more students to take advantage of our school, plus the opportunity to come to Florida in the winter (always a plus if you are tired of shoveling snow!) and actually get game experience while being evaluated by highly qualified, former and current professional and collegiate umpires. The ability to be evaluated in true game situations can reveal much more about an umpire and allow constructive feedback that they can take home to become a better umpire."

The cost at O.U.T.S. is $1,750 which includes 13 nights, double-occupancy accomodations at the Cocoa Expo, plus three meals per day at the Expo, tax, and limited liability insurance. Tuition also includes an O.U.T.S. hat and umpiring uniform shirt, plus a camp t-shirt.

Formal Training

In my opinion, formal umpire training can be divided into three tiers:

Tier One: Professional Umpire School
There are only two professional umpire schools that are recognized by the PBUC:
The Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring
The Harry Wendelstedt School for Umpires

Tier Two: The "Highly Regarded" Clinics and Camps
These camps are strictly developmental.
MLB Umpire Camp
The Southern and International Umpire Camps
Jim Evans 5 day clinics

Tier Three: Regional Training
Generally hosted over two to three days, the goal of these camps is to fine-tune skills and identify regional umpires for college level games.
Arizon Umpire Training
Bruce Doane Sr. Umpire Camp
Mid American Advanced Umpire Clinic

Tier Four: All other clinics
Generally these are local association hosted clinics that last a day or two. The goal of these clinics is to develop local umpires.

I will try to add to this list as camps/clinics open.

SouthEast Michigan Umpire Camp

2009 SEMUC will be February 27, 28, and March 1, 2009 at Livonia Stevenson HS (33500 Six Mile Road Livonia, MI). Cost is $130.00 if paid prior to February 1. More info here.