NBUA

Call for Candidates
2024-07-15
This is your call for candidates for election to the NBUA Board of Directors.
This election cycle, five board positions are open for a 2-year opportunity to serve your fellow members.
The NBUA call for candidates and nomination period is now open.
The candidacy filing process will close at midnight on August 1, 2024.
Please email any NBUA Board of Directors to submit your name for this nomination.
Board members serve a two-year term, staggered so that half of the board is up for election annually. Again, five open board positions are in the 2024 election cycle.
This is your opportunity to participate in your NBUA’s operations and contribute to your fellow umpires.
We encourage anyone interested in participating to step forward and help lead and shape the Association. Nominations for the Board can be made by any member in good standing, for themself or another.

Nomination Period Closes
2024-08-01
The nomination Period for Candidates to the NBUA Board of Directors closes at midnight tonight.

Candidate Statements are due
2024-08-08
Candidates may prepare a statement that explains why they are interested in serving their fellows and may mention what issues interest them. Submit to any serving Board member.

Candidate Statements will be published
2024-08-15
The Candidate Statements will be published here on this website as a protected post. That means, they will show up on the right hand column of every webpage on the site and you will need the members password to view them.

Ask the Candidates opens
2024-08-19
All members are asked to submit questions to the candidates. The candidates will be asked to respond to any and all questions submitted. Questions can be submitted to any serving board member or via the contact form on this website. The questions will be submitted to the candidates anonymously.

Ask the Candidates closes
2024-08-22
The period for submitting questions to the candidates closes at midnight.

Q & A responses due from Candidates
2024-08-26
Responses to the questions submitted by the membership are due by midnight.

Candidate Responses will be published
2024-08-29
The Candidate responses to the member submitted questions will be published on this website. They will be published as a protected post which means they will be listed on the right hand column of every page of the website and you will need to use the member password to read them.

Voting Begins
2024-09-09
Electronic voting for the board candidates begins today. Each member in good standing will be issued a unique voter ID to use. You may vote for up to 5 candidates to fill the 5 vacant board positions.

NBUA Golf Tournament
2024-09-14 12:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Maplewood Country Club, 4050 SE Maple Valley Rd, Renton, WA, 98058, United States
Golfing Umpires,
This is a shout out to get registered for the annual NBUA Golf Tournament.
Just reply to this email or send an email to peyton.nbua@gmail.com
If you are bringing a non-NBUA member, let me know the name, please.
Time: 12:00 First tee-off
Format: Scramble. At least two drives must be recorded for each team member
Green fee and shared cart = $80 (deducted from your Wisely account)
There will be trophies for longest drives (2) awards, closest to the pin (2), winning team = lowest score, with individual trophies.
The sooner you register with me guarantees your spot. Let me know who you would like to team up with if you have a preference.
Peyton

NBUA Banquet
2024-09-14 18:00 - 21:00 | Maplewood Country Club, 4050 SE Maple Valley Rd, Renton, WA, 98058, United States
Social hour and bar open: 6:00 PM
Festivities start: 7:00. We will be streamlining the format somewhat.
To confirm your attendance, reply to this notice or email NBUAmemberserve@gmail.com
Please include your guest’s name if you’re inviting one. We will be having a raffle with prizes for our guests. The earlier you confirm your attendance the easier it is to plan.
Remember the official’s mantra concerning games: If you’re on time, you’re late. If you’re early, you’re on time.
This is a great way to wrap up our season, congratulate our friends who earned promotions and also those who earned awards such as assignor’s award for umpire of the year for each tier, the George Eshleman umpire of the year and the Brian Gooch award for distinguished service.
We hope to see you there!
Thom Denholm
Member Services
For your NBUA Board of Directors

Voting Closes
2024-09-16 18:00 - 19:00 | WIAA Headquarters, 435 Main Ave S, Renton, WA, 98057, United States
6:00 PM — Electronic Voting Period Closes
6:30 PM — Elections Results are presented and announced at the Annual General Membership Meeting of the Association’s membership (Both at the WIAA Office).

Apprentice Training
2025-01-23 18:30 - 21:00
This is an online class for new NBUA (apprentice) umpires. It will be held over Zoom. Please contact Brian Sweet (The Director of Training) for the information necessary to log into the meeting. To contact any board member please refer to the contacts section of this website.
Subjects to be covered:
Director of Training (Welcome to NBUA, …)
Apprentice Training 1st day
Basic List of NBUA Items Required
NBUA Uniform and Equipment
NBUA Umpire Terminology
Signaling the Basic 8
Apprentice / C Tier Expectations
WOA Umpire Mechanics (intro for apprentice)

Apprentice Training
2025-01-25 09:00 - 12:00 | Eastside Catholic High School, 232 228th Ave SE, Sammamish, WA, 98074, United States
This will be the second session and first in person meetup for the new Apprentice class of NBUA umpires. It will be held in a classroom in a building near the football field. For directions, please contact Brian Sweet (The Director of Training).
Subjects Covered:
Plate Basics (Jim Evan’s PPT)
Slot basics with mechanics
Strike Zone
Practical Strike Zone
Head Height, Tracking, Strike Mechanic, Ball Call Mechanic
Signal to partner
Putting the ball in play
Calling Time!
In-Field Fly Rule signals, vocals (when to call an IFF)
Timing Plays
Check swings

NBUA General Meeting
2025-01-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Bellevue Christian School, 1701 98th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA, United States
This will be a general meeting of all members of the NBUA. It will introduce the new Board of Director members and will be a great time for the membership to learn about the new training schedule that will be followed over the next month. Surplus/donated gear will be accepted at the meeting and may be made available to the Apprentices as well. All Tiers are encouraged to attend: T-Tier, A-Tier, B-Tier, C-Tier and Apprentice.

Apprentice and C-Tier Training
2025-01-28 18:30 - 21:00
This will be another online training session via Zoom. The returning C-Tier umpires will join with the new Apprentice class from this point going forward.
Subjects Covered:
Pre-Game/Post-Game
MLB Rules: Runner Rules
What is a Trouble Ball
WOA Umpire Mechanics

B-Tier, A-Tier, T-Tier Training
2025-01-29 18:30 - 21:00
This is an online class that will be held on Zoom. It is intended for upper tier umpires but any members of the NBUA are welcomed. Please see Brian Sweet for details for the login to this session.
Subjects proposed for discussion:
Obstruction/Interference
Malicious contact
Ejections/Game management

Apprentice and C-Tier Training
2025-01-30 18:30 - 21:00
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

B-Tier, A-Tier, T-Tier Scrimmages
2025-02-01
This is the first day of scrimmages. Upper tier umpires will be given opportunities to work with real time play as teams practice for the upcoming season. They can also satisfy some training requirements by assisting with the field mechanics training for the Apprentice and C-Tier umpires. Times for practice games won’t be known much in advance so stay in touch. More on this later.
Scrimmages have been canceled because we couldn’t find any teams practicing in this weather. Better luck next time.

Apprentice and C-Tier Training
2025-02-01 09:00 - 23:30 | Eastside Catholic High School, 232 228th Ave SE, Sammamish, WA, 98074, United States
This will be a class held in person in-doors.
Subjects to be covered include:
Obstruction/Interference

Apprentice and C-Tier Field Mechanics
2025-02-01 12:30 - 15:30 | Eastside Catholic High School, 232 228th Ave SE, Sammamish, WA, 98074, United States
For the Apprentices, this will be an introduction to Field Mechanics (i.e. the physical acts of umpiring) We will be meeting on the baseball field and there might even be a lunch provided before we start (talk to Brian). Dress appropriately. Weather conditions could be pretty bad but we’ll likely be out there no matter what. We also generally bring out the surplus/donated gear so this is a great time for the rookies to pick up free equipment.

B-Tier, A-Tier, T-Tier Scrimmages
2025-02-02
More scrimmages available for upper Tier umpires.
Scrimmages have been canceled because we couldn’t find any teams practicing in this weather. Better luck next time.

Apprentice and C-Tier Training
2025-02-04 18:30 - 21:00
This will be another online class
Subjects include:
MLB Rules: Pitcher Rules
HS Rules (15-20 diff) PPT
Keys to umpiring baseball
How to work with your Partner
How to work with players
* Catcher Report

B-Tier, A-Tier, T-Tier Training
2025-02-05 18:30 - 21:00
This will be another online class
Subjects will include:
HS/MLB rules difference
Appeals
Getting/giving help to your partner

Apprentice and C-Tier Training
2025-02-06 18:30 - 21:00
Another online gathering
Subjects to include:
Obstruction/Interference (4 videos and discussion)
“We’ve all been there”
Game Management Techniques
* Non HS (how to handle summer ball, …)
* HS tools (how to leverage warnings, benching, …)
Handling / Working w/Coaches (griping, chirping)
Ejections

B-Tier, A-Tier, T-Tier Scrimmages
2025-02-08
More scrimmages will be scheduled. There won’t be a lot of warning about when and where these will happen so pay attention to your e-mails. Also A and T-Tier are also asked to help out with training the C-Tier and Apprentice umpires. They will be on the field all day today at Eastside Catholic. Contact Brian Sweet to see how you can help.
Scrimmages have been canceled because we couldn’t find any teams practicing in this weather. Better luck next time.

Apprentice and C-Tier Field Mechanics
2025-02-08 09:00 - 12:00 | Eastside Catholic High School, 232 228th Ave SE, Sammamish, WA, 98074, United States
This is the start to a full day on the field. Bring uniforms if you have them but whatever you do, make sure you dress warmly enough to spend the whole day outside.

Apprentice and C-Tier Cage Training
2025-02-08 13:00 - 16:00
Once again we will be on the field but back in the batting cages learning the basics of plate mechanics. Calling Balls and Strikes is the core job we do and we all can use practice. Bring your protective gear if you have it (at least a mask) but, most likely we will not be seeing live pitches here just soft-toss balls (unless we can come up with a pitching machine or two).
We will try to provide a lunch between the two sessions but talk to your instructors to make sure.

Apprentice and C-Tier Training
2025-02-11 18:30 - 21:00
Another online session.
Subjects include:
Arbiter
Arbiter Pay / Wisely
When to get help / when to give help
Balks
Force Play Slide Rule (** Checking to see if Tim S will Cover)
Designated Hitter (** Checking to see if Tim S will Cover)

B-Tier, A-Tier, T-Tier Training
2025-02-13 18:30 - 21:00
This is another online session.
Subjects include:
Mechanics: plays at the plate, double play coverage, unusual/close plays
1-man mechanics
Expectations for B to A and expectations of A/TT feedback to B
