This will be another online Zoom class.
Subjects to be covered include:
Baseball rules – 8.00 the pitcher
MLB Rules (non-runner, pitcher, batter)
MLB Rules: Batter Rules
Base Awards
WOA Umpire Mechanics
2025 Training Schedule published
The training schedule has now been posted and, as in the past, it can be viewed in two ways. It can be viewed on the Calendar or it can be viewed by members on the Training Schedule table. The Training Schedule table requires a member login because we will post the videos of the online meetings there if anyone wants to “catch up”. The Calendar is available to all.
To use the Calendar efficiently, you can use the search function to view only those items that concern your tier by typing in your tier name i.e. Apprentice, C-Tier, B-Tier, A-Tier or T-Tier.
The Calendar can be found under the Information menu dropdown and the Training Schedule table is found under the Members menu drop down “Training”.
3 Man Mechanics Training
For B-Tier, A-Tier and T-Tier umpires who will be assigned games in the upcoming High School playoffs, this is a chance to brush up on your 3-Man field mechanics. All umpires are welcomed to attend.
This will be an online session so watch your e-mail for the login details
High School Season Starts
The High School Season starts this weekend and often these matches will involve round robin games that put three teams on a field and they play 3 inning games until all 3 teams have each played 6 innings. Or they might just play normal games. You ask the coaches. Apprentice umpires are generally paired with their mentors for these games.
Apprentice and C-Tier Training
The final online training session before the fireworks begin. Any questions you have should be answered by now but, if not, ask them here.
Subjects include (but anything goes):
Appeals
Force Play Slide Rule
Designated Hitter
Lineup Card
Lineup Card Management
Peer Evaluations
Plays At the Plate / Wedge
Confusing Test Questions
Plate Meeting
Arbiter session
Evaluations
Open session to talk about anything that you want to.
NBUA Business Meeting
Our final get together before the season starts. Meet Mark Clough (our fearless assignor) and talk about the upcoming season. The Board will lay out any changes to the way things are going to be done vis pay, evaluations/promotions, policies, etc. Apprentices should have met their mentors by now but, if not, this is your chance. Also final chance to pick over the surplus/donated equipment.
All Tiers scrimmages
More live scrimmages time and place TBD. Apprentice and C-Tier umpires will work with B-Tier, A-Tier and T-Tier umpires on scrimmage games. This is a watch, work and learn situation where sometimes you will be on the field working games with umpires of various tiers and sometimes you will be watching other umpires from behind the fence perhaps doing a “Did you see what they did?” “Do you know why?” sort of thing. Heckling is not encouraged but sometimes is unavoidable.
High School Test Study Session
We all get together and work out the answers to the High School Test. Passing the NFHS Test is a requirement for umpires who want to be assigned games with the NBUA. It is also required by the WOA before they allow anyone in the state to work High School or Middle School games.
All tiers are welcomed to the study session (Apprentice, C-Tier, B-Tier, A-Tier, T-Tier). We will be broken into groups by last name. Each will be assigned a specific set of questions and will present their answers to the group. The sample questions can be downloaded, in advance from the Arbiter thru the WOA Central Hub.
A link will be provided on the Arbiter website that allows officials to go in and take the HS Baseball test. There are also a number of required clinics and a background check that must be fulfilled. It’s all explained on the WIAA website accessed via Arbiter.
Apprentice and C-Tier scrimmages
Another day of scrimmage games overseen by A-Tier and T-Tier coaches. Time and place To Be Determined. Bring all gear.
High School Rules Night
This is our annual High School Rules night with Tim Stevens. Tim (for those that don’t know) is a long time member of the NBUA and also a former member of the NFHS rules committee. He will take us through any rule changes that have come down the line and will also outline some of the main differences between the MLB rules and NFHS rules. The first games of the year are generally High School games so this is good to know. Also, there’s going to be a test.
Bring a notebook
All Tiers (Apprentice, C-Tier, B-Tier, A-Tier and T-Tier)