Our league relies on youth in our older divisions to provide umpires for our minors and majors divisions

By beginning in the Minor Division, these new umpires can learn the proper mechanics and apply the rules at a manageable speed. At the same time, the players and coaches at this level can be excited about having “real umpires” officiate their games.

Our youth umpires are paid $15 per game with other incentives to umpire more than 3 games in one season

All youth umpires are required to attend an umpire skills clinic taught by a visiting umpire or our local umpire-in-chief.  

If you have a youth interested in umpiring softball or baseball games, please reach out to our umpire-in-chief Matt McGuan, at [email protected].  

There is no requirement to be a current player, if your potential umpire has previously played softball or baseball, or has a basic understanding of the rules, they can sign up as well.  

Our League has an expectation that our youth umpires are treated with the same respect as our adult umpires.  In the event a game is officiated only by youth umpires, an adult game coordinator is appointed to mitigate any coach or spectator interference with the youth officials.  The game coordinator has the authority to eject a coach or remove a spectator from the game.

Adult umpires are essential to continuing our Juniors/Seniors and Tournament programs

 
Our softball and baseball Juniors/Seniors divisions rely on adult umpire volunteers to hold games.  We cannot have games without your help.

Adult umpires are also invited to our umpire skills clinics at the beginning of each season if you want to refresh your skills.

Registering with the Little League Umpire Registry provides access to numerous online training resources specifically for our umpires.  

All adult umpires are required to have a completed background check.  Please volunteer using the "register" button or contact our Chief Umpire, Matt McGuan, at [email protected].

1. The hands are considered part of the bat. If a pitch hits the batter’s hands it is either fair or foul.

Approved Ruling: The hands are part of the batter’s body. Therefore, an umpire must judge if the ball hit the bat or the batter first. This scenario is covered by Little League rule 6.08(b).

2. If the batter “breaks his wrists” when swinging, it’s a strike.

Approved Ruling: The term “breaks his/her wrists” does not appear in the Little League rulebook. The umpire must judge whether, or not, the batter attempted to swing at the pitch as stated in the definition of a strike in Rule 2.00.

3. If a batted ball hits the plate first it’s a foul ball.

Approved Ruling: Home plate, first, second, and third base are all completely within fair territory. The foul lines are also within fair territory. In order to rule the ball foul, it must have come to rest in foul territory or be touched in foul territory.  See Rule 2.00.

4. The batter cannot be called out for interference if he is in the batter’s box.

Approved Ruling: Offensive/Batter Interference is defined in Rule 2.00, and there is no specific exception for the batter’s box. The batter’s actions are what causes interference and not necessarily where he is, as defined in Rule 6.06(c) (1), (2) and (3).

5. The ball is dead on a foul-tip.

Approved Ruling: As defined in Rule 2.00, the ball is always live on a foul tip. Therefore runners may be put out or advance at their own risk.

6. The batter may not switch batter’s boxes after two strikes.

Approved Ruling: The batter may switch batter’s boxes at any time while the ball is dead. According to Rule 6.06(b), the batter may only be called out for stepping from one batter’s box to the other while the pitcher is in position ready to pitch. The number of balls or strikes on the batter is not relevant.

7. The batter who batted out of order is the person declared out.

Approved Ruling: According to Rule 6.07, the batter that is supposed to bat (the proper batter) is the one that is declared out, when the defensive properly appeals the infraction.

8. The batter is considered “out” if he/she starts for the dugout before going to first base after an uncaught third strike.

Approved Ruling: In order to declare the batter “out” for abandoning his/her effort to advance, he/she must step into “dead ball” territory.

9. The batter-runner is always out if he runs outside the running lane after a bunted ball.

Approved Ruling: The batter-runner may be called out for interference if he fails to run within the runner’s lane for the last half of the distance to first base. Furthermore, the defensive team must throw the ball in order for the interference to occur Rule 6.05(j).

10. If a batter swings at a pitch, and the pitch hits the batter in the batter’s box, the batter is awarded first base.

Approved Ruling: The batter is not awarded first base. A strike is defined in Rule 2.00(e). Since the batter swung, a strike is recorded, and, if it was the third strike, the batter is out. No uncaught strike situation occurred since the ball is dead once it contacts the batter.