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Become an Umpire
2024-03-04
Information on training, schedules, equipment and the pay scale from Justin Hamilton, GLL Umpire-in-Chief
Umpiring with Glebe Little League in 2024
Why Become an Umpire?
Since the end of the pandemic, there has been a severe shortage of officials across all sports, with many veteran officials choosing not to return to the game. GLL faces this issue as well, as many games have been understaffed in the last few years. Without umpires, baseball cannot be played as it should be, as the rules would not be properly enforced, so to give our players and parents the best experience possible, we need more umpires.Umpiring is a great way to get (or stay) involved with the game of baseball. For many, it is a first job and it can help you develop life skills like decision-making, communication, dealing with pressure and handling responsibility among many others. This means it can offer you some money to spend, something to put on your resume (and earn a reference), in addition to gaining life and job experience. For those who play baseball, it can deepen your understanding of the game through learning more about the rules and seeing a new perspective. So, if you've ever thought you could do a better job than the umpire at your game, we would happily welcome you. Everyone will have their reasons for considering becoming an umpire but if you’re thinking about it, just know that we would love to have you here at GLL. Registration will open soon, so contact Justin Hamilton (GLL's Umpire-in-Chief) if you are interested or would like more information.
Pay Rates
Pay rates for 2024| Level | Home Plate Umpire | Base Umpire |
| Minors | $25 | $20 |
| Majors | $30 | $25 |
| Junior | $40 | $35 |
| Senior | $50 | $45 |
Umpire Training
There will be one in-person training clinic held at the beginning of the season in late April for new umpires in collaboration with South Ottawa Little League (further details to be announced at a later date). All new umpires should attend this session and returning umpires are encouraged to attend. The clinic will consist of a classroom session and an on-field instruction session and it will not only cover the basics of umpiring; it will also provide practical training with feedback, rule breakdowns and a discussion of what it’s like to umpire in Ottawa.Game Assignment Process
Game assignments for GLL umpires are now done through Goalline. There is plenty of flexibility in this process as it allows you to set when and where you are available to work a game, allowing umpires to work around school, vacations, other jobs etc.As for the process itself, umpires will log into GLL's website under "Umpires" where there is an option for "Official Login". Once logged in, umpires will set their date availability for the upcoming weeks under the "Set Availability" tab. Then, umpires will set their preferred fields under the "Set Field Preferences" tab. Based on this information, GLL's Umpire-in-Chief will assign games week-by-week in a fair manner that gives everyone a chance to umpire games that are well-suited to their ability and development. It is vital that this information be as accurate as possible to make for a smoother assignment process. Based on the information submitted, games will be assigned by email.
Scheduling
Based on last year’s schedule, games are expected to be typically occurring at the following fields for each level. There may also be occasional games on weekends.| Level | Fields |
| Minors | Lansdowne 1 Lansdowne 2 Eastvale Park Appleford Park |
| Majors | Lansdowne 1 Lansdowne 2 Eastvale Park |
| Junior | Brewer Park Jasmine Park |
| Senior | Brewer Park |
Protective Equipment
When umpiring with GLL, there is no need to go out and spend a lot of money buying yourself equipment. At every field, there is a box containing protective equipment for the home plate umpire. The only protective equipment that the umpire must provide for themselves is an athletic supporter (also known as a jock or jill).Uniform and Other Equipment
Umpires are expected to maintain a professional appearance when umpiring as they are on the job, which entails adhering to a dress code. This dress code requires umpires to wear a black, navy or light blue polo shirt, grey or dark pants, a black hat and running shoes. None of what was just mentioned needs to be expensive, as it would be unreasonable to ask that of GLL's umpires. In fact, you may find that you already have many of these articles of clothing lying around your house.In addition to the umpire shirt, GLL will also provide all new umpires with an official Wilson umpire kit containing a ball-strike indicator (also known as a clicker), plate brush and ball bag.
For more information on any of the above information or any questions that arise, please contact GLL's Umpire-in-Chief, Justin Hamilton.