Frequently
Asked Questions:
What do you need from me to start umpiring games?
You must be 16yrs old or older
name
home phone number
work phone number
cell phone
email address
How old must you be to umpire?
You must be 16yrs or older. 15.5 yrs and older for the fall season.
Are there any fees?
Yes, the fee is $25.00 for the each season (Spring and Fall). These fees are normally deducted from the first check. This money goes to our scholarship fund.
How much can I make per game?
T-Ball 6yrs games
are $20.00 at 1:15 mins
7-8 yrs old games
are $32.00 These
games last 1hr and 30min.
9yrs through 10yrs are
$37.00 These
games are 1hr and 45 mins
Majors (12yrs) are $40.00 These games are 1hr
and 45 mins or 1hr and 30 mins
50/70 elite is
$42.00 These
games are 1hr and 50 mins.
50/70 premier is $45.00 These games are 1hr
and 50 mins.
Junior and Seniors
are $47.00 These
games are 1hr and 50 mins.
Single games that
are booked on the schedule as such, are an additional
$10.00
Games “called”
within the hour of game time will be paid a showup
fee. $20.00
New umpires normally
are assigned to the 11 yrs and younger games to develop their umpiring
skills. The more experienced you become
the more you’ll be able to call the older age brackets.
How do I get assigned to games?
Every Sunday through Wednesday, the umpire will email
his/her availability into the scheduler at dawn_heyblue@hotmail.com any issues call Dawn Becker.
(713.516.5360). Inform her the days
that are available for you to call the following week - if there is none
that week, then you won't need to contact her for the coming week (a week
runs from Monday through Saturday).
If you don't get assigned any games for the coming week that only
means that we had other umpires filling the slots – the scheduler tries to keep
umpires equally busy, however, there are a number of young/new umpires so that
it can be sometimes difficult to do so.
You must contact her every week as your personal schedule changes if you
want to be placed on the follow week’s schedule. The Scheduler will NOT CONTACT
YOU! Game schedules are placed on the webpage
(right hand side) once Dawn fills in the available games. Generally, they are posted on the previous
Friday/Saturday prior to the start of the new week. If you have listed that you have internet
capabilities, then you will be responsible for checking the website yourself –
YOU WILL NOT
Once you are assigned that game, you are not allowed to switch fields with another umpire unless one of the board members has approved it. You are allowed to swap positions however, during play-off week, you must remain on the position assigned.
How many games are usually played during the week?
Monday through Thursday there are two games…played normally
at
Friday nights and Sundays are reserved for make-up games or the prior week’s rain out games.
Saturday offers 6 games (9am,
Umpires are assigned both games during the week and usually
two games (back to back) on the weekends.
Although, there has been on occasions where one game may be needed to be
filled, so let the scheduler know that you can only work the “game time”. (i.e.
What kind of
equipment do I need to umpire games?
All umpires are
required to wear a plain black umpire hat (get 4 stitches so that you can wear
it while wearing your mask). A black umpire shirt (black and white
strip on the sleeve and collar), black or white undershirt, gray pants
(purchase “plate” or “combo” pants from one of the vendors – see links to
vendors on the right hand side of the webpage).
A chest protector, shin guards, mask, one ball bag, brush and one
indicator. For the males, a cup is
necessary to wear. It is also
recommended to wear steel tip shoes however, it is not mandatory. (ORWUA does supply a chest protector, shin
guards and mask on the 9yr/10yr and 11yr fields…this is shared equipment and
cannot leave the grounds – please hang up the bag). All equipment will be worn UNDER YOUR
CLOTHING so make sure that the pant leg is wide enough and your shirt large
enough to go over the chest protector.
Pants are to be clean and pressed.
Black socks are to be worn, no ankle socks.
What happens if I can’t make my game? Is there a penalty?
Please call the
scheduler as soon as you know you will be unable to make your game. It is your responsibility to find your own
replacement, but if you are having problems finding a replacement, the
scheduler will help you find one at a charge of $10.00 (within 24 hrs it will a full game
fee). If you do not show up for your
games, there is a game fee penalty for each game you do not show up for. This amount will help pay the other umpire ½
of your pay as he had to work the games by himself.
If you find yourself
without a partner, it is your responsibility to call the scheduler so that a
replacement can be made. If you fail to
do so, you will not be entitled to 1/2 of the game fee of your partner’s pay.
Where can I buy
most of my equipment and clothing?
On-line sites are
available:
If money is a
situation in purchasing equipment, a number of the kids try to hook up with a
buddy so that one complete gear is bought and shared between the two. However, you need to mention this to the
scheduler when scheduling your games that you must be paired with your
“buddy”. This is not a recommended
solution since this will hinder you from getting more games than you normally
would.
Who can I contact
if I have more questions?
Dawn Becker at
713.516.5360 or you can contact her via email at dawn_heyblue@hotmail.com.
She umpires for other
organizations so she may not be able to return your call immediately, however,
expect a return call the following day.
Emails are responded to during normal business hours.
Or
Casey Loughridge,
UIC, at (832) 381-4981. His email
address is: casey.loughridge@hotmail.com