While the first Little League® tournament games won’t get underway until the summer months, the preparation for an umpire selected to work a tournament begins long before that final regular season out is called.
To better understand the preparation and effort that goes into developing strong umpires for the Little League International Tournament season at both the grassroots level and on the biggest stage in youth sports, Little League sat down for a “Full Count Conversation” with four Umpires-In-Chief: Pamela Brooks, Bill Vikara, Raymy Brown, and Jason Becker. Each umpire shares how they train, select, and build their confidence amongst their umpires, and provides advice on how other Umpires-in-Chief can do the same at their local league.
1-0 Count: How do you prepare your umpires for the tournament season?
Pamela Brooks (PB): “I communicate any upcoming training opportunities that Little League International, or our staff in Virginia, are offering. I also remind our umpires to complete their background checks and encourage them to review the Umpire Registry, since many of us work with multiple leagues, and this allows them to complete the process once. Additionally, I remind them to complete their Abuse Awareness Training. As the season progresses, I continue to send reminders and share updates on anything that arises during the season and encourage participation in the Tournament Prep Clinic that Little League hosts at the end of May.”
Bill Vikara (BV): “Preparation starts before the season begins. We do outreach clinics with our local leagues, so whether we think that they may be a tournament umpire in the future, or following the current regular season, we still start with basic training at the ground level. Throughout the season, we offer regular performance reviews, so I will go out to a league if they have an umpire that they think is tournament-ready, and I will evaluate them, offering one-on-one mentoring sessions, delivering feedback, and providing encouragement on what they are doing well. The end goal is to keep that potential tournament umpire, help them develop their skills, and build their confidence for those higher-pressure games as we get to the postseason.”
Jason Becker (JB): “One of the biggest ways that we prepare our umpires is by having a pre-All-Stars meeting check-in. It is a few hours long, and we get all our umpires together to talk through everything. I talk about the goals that I have for a four-person crew. Two of the goals are pre-All Stars and two during All-Stars. Our two goals before the tournament season emphasize being a cohesive and prepared group on the field, and then our two goals during tournament season focus on being the hardest working and the most courteous, sportsmanship-focused group on the field. During our check-in, we go through the special tournament rules and procedures, talk about expectations, and do everything we can to make sure our team is as aligned as possible.”
1-1 Count: What is your process when you select tournament umpires, and what are some of the qualities and skills that they should have?
PB: “All of our district umpires have been nominated at one point or another by their leagues. Once that happens, then we get there and watch them umpire. What I am looking for is someone who’s been an umpire for at least a couple of years, someone who has been training, has a calm demeanor, and knows the rules and has solid mechanics. If they are not going to utilize the mechanics that Little League is expecting, then we’re not going to accept them onto the district roster. We want someone who is going to be an eager and prepared participant because the umpire is part of the third team on the field.”
BV: “First and foremost, someone who is passionate. They need to be committed to their personal growth, both on and off the field, and understand that Little League’s mission goes beyond teaching baseball. It’s really about teaching life lessons, developing life skills, and helping young people become productive members of society. You also want individuals who can stay composed under pressure.”
Raymy Brown (RB): “Experience and rules knowledge are two of the biggest factors for us. I request from each league UIC their recommendations for tournament umpires. We have them rate each umpire and ensure each umpire is available for our District Tournaments. Additionally, we make it a point to pair less experienced umpires with more seasoned veterans. We have a core group of about 30 experienced umpires, and the tournament season is a great opportunity to mentor and develop newer officials by working alongside that group.”
2-1 Count: How do you help prepare your umpires to handle tough situations and the added pressure in these more competitive, high-stakes games?
PB: “When an umpire joins the roster for the first year, I rarely assign them a plate game right away unless I have personally worked with them and know they are ready, because the pressure level is much higher. I want them to become comfortable at the tournament level. What I do instead is pair newer umpires with veteran crews so they can gain experience and confidence. I have found that approach helps them settle their nerves and creates a better overall experience, which encourages them to come back. We also have an incentive program where umpires earn official district numbers after three years on the roster. We make it a special recognition during the umpires meeting in front of everyone. It becomes a meaningful milestone for them.”
RB: “When it comes to preparing umpires for high-pressure situations and more competitive games, we focus a lot on what we call ‘pause, read, and react.’ That applies whether you are dealing with a manager approaching you or a fast-moving situation on the field. The key is to take a moment, process what happened, and avoid reacting immediately. We want to get the call right. If necessary, it is always okay to call time, get the crew together, gather information from one another, and make sure the rules are applied correctly.”
JB: “This goes back to making sure that coaches, managers, and umpires are on the same page. I know my staff. Every Umpire-in-Chief knows his or her staff so well and knows exactly who needs to fit where. With newer umpires, our staff works carefully to make sure they are in the best position to succeed. We will pair a newer umpire with a veteran who can support them on the field, especially in those tougher situations. That support includes rules interpretations, but even more importantly, navigating the interpersonal moments.”
2-2 Count: How do you provide feedback during tournament season?
BV: “Feedback starts immediately after the game, no matter if it is tournament season or the regular season. If I am on the field with a crew and we had a situation we may not have handled correctly, we discuss it during postgame and make sure we learn from it next time. Feedback is interesting because you have to understand how each person receives it. I always try to keep things positive, even when we make a mistake, there’s something we can learn from it, so not all feedback is negative.”
RB: “Communication is a big part of how we handle feedback. We connect at least the day before the game to make sure we are all aligned, whether it is uniforms, where we are meeting, or parking logistics. We want to look and operate like a team. Then, after the game, we hold a postgame discussion every time. That’s a standard part of our process. We provide every opportunity for our umpires to learn and improve.”
JB: “Every game prepares us for the next one. We are committed to providing postgame feedback for every baseball and softball game that we do. Every crew that comes off the field has someone who watches their game and offers a few observations that could help them in the next one. This isn’t a brand-new concept, but the impact that it has had on us has created a real sense of camaraderie and helped make our All-Stars tournament the smoothest and most enjoyable any of us can remember.”
3-2 Count: What advice would you give new or veteran Umpire-in-Chief or Crew Chief to enhance their tournament season?
PB: “My first piece of advice is to tell your umpires to go to training. You can never stop training, whether you are a new umpire or a veteran. Things are always changing and we don’t want you to fall into bad habits. I would also encourage umpires, if they’re interested in doing a region tournament or a World Series, to go to an umpire academy. The beauty is that we have them at each of the region sites and in Williamsport.”
BV: “You can’t just put anybody on the field. You need people who know what they are doing and understand that the specific rules in Little League are there for safety. One piece of advice I would give is to make sure people are out there having fun. You want to build crews with individuals who keep things loose and help everyone feel comfortable.”
RB: “The main piece of advice I give is communication, communication, and more communication. If we see talent or have up-and-coming umpires joining, we make it a priority to continue to coach them and provide as much constructive feedback as possible. We want to bring all our umpires along to make them the best versions of themselves, so continue to support them and answer questions so they continue to love what brings us all together – being an umpire.”
JB: “It all comes down to communication and making expectations clear. In my district, I want our umpires to clearly understand who we are and what we stand for as a group. For umpires who are new to the role or new to the league, that starts right away at our initial training meetings. Always make sure your group knows who you are, what you stand for, and how you work. At the end of the day, communication and setting expectations are everything.”
Looking to step up to the plate and be an umpire this season? Visit LittleLeague.org/Umpire to learn more and find a league near you. Also, don’t forget to shop for all your umpire polos, caps, and accessories by visiting ShopLittleLeague.org.