The Los Padres Baseball Umpires Association (LPBUA) is looking for high school baseball umpires for the upcoming spring and summer seasons.
LPBUA covers all levels of high school baseball from the Santa Ynez Valley to Cambria. It’s one of the largest coverage areas amongst the Central and Southern Sections, and their crews are running thin.
With hopes of attracting the younger generation of baseball lovers, they’ve put together two events this week to help get the word out.
On Wednesday, January 16 at Mission Prep, LPBUA will hold its first meeting of the season for its 49-member association. The public is welcomed to join to learn about the rules of baseball, receive information on what it takes to become an umpire and to even get registered for the upcoming season. The meeting begins at 6:00 P.M.
For those wanting an instructional, LPBUA also has you covered. They’re hosting an umpire clinic at Pioneer Valley High School on Saturday, January 19. LPBUA representative, Michael Kon, says he hopes lots people take advantage of the first-hand umping opportunity.
“The biggest benefit is that you’re going to actually get to see what it’s like to officiate a game,” Kon said. “We have different situations. We put you in different situations to react to plays on the field. We put you in a situation where you work by yourself and then we also put you in situations where you’re working with a partner.”
Most importantly, Kon added, “You get the opportunity to make a mistake without anybody yelling at you, and you correct it.”
The umpire clinic runs from 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. at the Pioneer Valley baseball field.
For more information, visit the Los Padres Baseball Umpires Association on Facebook.
