We all know that the COVID-19 pandemic is changing how we go about doing the things we enjoy. Like many groups and businesses, the WUA is mindful about the health and well-being of our students and staff. The WUA Board of Directors and the Director of Training made the tough choice to cancel the 2021 Umpire training classes.

As posted earlier, the design of the WUA training is a blend of in-person, classroom and hands-on use. Students learn rules from a book and debate. They learn 2-man umpire mechanics by demonstration and practice. Students learn game management skills through advice and real-world examples; then apply what they discuss. Most of all, they get coaching from 18 staff members that combine for over 400 years of “doing it”. Our history shows that hands-on drills add value for the students and supports their growth into good umpires.

You can imagine the type of facility we need to support the design of our training. We have run through our options of finding a suitable location. We tried to mimic our training using online resources, but it is just not the same. Try as we might, we found that electronic means could not replace the coaching students get during the hands-on portion of the training.

The Board did decide to try to develop a 1-day clinic for the spring. Timing, location and cost will be coming along shortly. Right now, we are looking to offer the training to 2020 Level 1 & 2 umpires. We are also looking into how to offer a very basic course for someone who wants to become an umpire. However, this course will need to meet our high standards if we are to offer it. Again, come back to the website in the March timeframe for an update.