The Training Schedule for the 2026 season has been published in grid form under the Members Only section and on the calendar. Classes held online and in classroom settings will be recorded and links to those recordings will be published on the grid schedule along with any hand outs. Scrimmage assignments will be last minute and may be canceled last minute for a multitude of reasons so stay alert. Any questions please contact Brian Sweet your friendly training director.

RTO returns

NBUA

Every year at about this time, I am directed by your Board of Directors, to reintroduce the RTO Program driven by the Washington Officials Association (WOA). I’m asking the following of every NBUA member, regardless of tier. All tiers are asked to participate in RTO.

The RTO Program

The RTO Program is a collaborative effort of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association and the Washington Officials Association to improve the level of officiating for WIAA contests. RTO stands for Retention, Training and Observation. There is one other component of this program not listed in the RTO acronym. That component is standards. Before you can hold someone accountable you must clearly state what they are being held accountable for. To that end, the WOA is developing standards of conduct and performance for our members in each sport covered by the WOA. These standards are the yardstick by which every official will be measured. Reminder that WOA Postseason games are for A & TT umpires.

• Go into the Central Hub 
• Click on the Eligibility Center
• Click on 24-25 Postseason Baseball
• Complete the 2 clinics listed
• I did this. It took about 7 minutes.
• Pretty simple…
• Every tier is asked to get this done by your BOD
• B, A and TT umpires are required by the WOA to become RTO qualified, in order to become eligible to be assigned:
  • Post Season District contests
  • Regionals
  • State Finals
  • District contests begin in early May
• Rookie & Transfer Members, please contact your Mentors for additional assistance. Your Mentors have all done this before.
• Please have your RTO requirements completed by May 1.
• As your Assignor, I can track this ongoing.

Mark Clough
NBUA Assignor
206.265.1896

2025 Baseball Points of Emphasis:
What High School Umpires Need to
Know
The NFHS has released its 2025
Points of Emphasis, highlighting five
key areas that umpires must focus on
this season.