Great news: umpire training for 2022, hosted by the Wisconsin Umpires Association (WUA), is gearing up again. What a great feeling it is! Baseball (and Softball) season will be upon us before we know it.

Training starts January 5 and ends on March 16. Classes are Wednesdays from 6:00 – 9:00 PM. They are on the second level of the Whitnall Middle School (5025 S. 116th St, Greenfield, WI 53228). Each night is broken into three, 1-hour sessions of fun and learning.

What makes training by the WUA different from others? It is the design, and the staff that make this a unique and valuable program. Students can leave with in-depth rule knowledge, confidence of knowing what to do and how to do it.

The design of the WUA training is a blend of in-person, classroom and hands-on use. Students learn from the National Federation of High School (NFHS) rulebook. They then talk about a range of applications of these rules. Students also learn NFHS 2-man umpire mechanics through demonstration and practice. Students learn useful game management skills through advice and real-world examples; then apply what they discuss. We use the NFHS rule set because most area leagues and tournaments use this as their core rule set (with some adaptations). Our history shows that the hands-on drills add value for the students and supports their growth into good umpires.

Most of all, students get coaching from 18 staff members that combine for over 400 years of “doing it”. We have trainers that work in the MLB, MiLB, NCAA, WIAA (high school), Little League, and a mixture of other competitive leagues. Some of our recent students have gone on to a major league training school and been offered a job in the Minor Leagues. We have a staff member that teaches law enforcement and first responders on managing potentially volatile situations. He helps students know how to apply those tactics on the baseball field.

In short, you receive well planned and thought out training. You learn to handle real-life situations with poise.

We offer three different levels of training.

• Level 1 – Baseball ($175): for those that want to begin umpiring, but have no experience.
• Level 1 – Softball ($175): for those that want to umpire softball (can be experienced or not).
• Level 2 – Baseball ($95): for experienced umpires that want to hone their trade.