Umpire clinic helps people stay in the game

Shannon LeClair

Times Reporter

 

Do you love baseball, but aren’t really very good at the game? On April 2 and 3, Strathmore Minor Ball Association is holding a Level One and Two umpire clinic at Brentwood Elementary School. Level One is for beginners and level two is needed for umpires wanting ump provincial baseball.

“Normally what they like to do is, if you’re umping Mosquito they like you to have umped one level above that,” said Gary Michielsen, organizer and umpire with Strathmore Minor Ball. 

“You have to take the clinic every year, a clinic, whether it’s level one or level two. You’re supposed to have level one before you go to level two, and level two before you go to level three.”

This is the first year for the clinic in Strathmore, though Michielsen said he tried to host one last year. Joe MacLean is the Umpire Director for this zone and is the instructor for the weekend. In level one there is an open book exam plus practical stuff. Level two is a closed book exam and learning practical skills. People in the clinic must get better than 80 per cent on the exam for level two. The exams are about the rules of the game, where the umpire stands and conflict resolution. 

“From all the years I have ever umpped, I threw out my first coach…last year or the year before…I tossed my first coach that I have ever had to eject from a game,” said Michielsen. 

The coach had been belligerent, swearing in front of the little kids and the other umpire. 

An umpire can’t ask a parent to leave, but he or she can ask the coach or organizer of the game to ask the parent to calm down. Michielsen said the only other option would be phoning the RCMP if the parent didn’t stop or leave, though he has not had to resort that in his umpiring career. 

Michielsen has been with Strathmore Minor Ball for four years, and this year he took over scheduling umpires in the area. 

“With the local guys, I try to book them as many games as they can possibly make,” said Michielsen. 

“Just so they get the experience and then hopefully they get interested. Plus they make a little spending money. It keeps them interested.”