 Banneker City Mom & Volunteer Umpire
Q. How was it umpiring a Little League game?
"It was a lot of fun! It was a little intimidating the night before and leading up to the game, but once you put on the uniform, you really take on the umpire persona. You know the saying—the uniform makes the person—well I definitely felt that once I put on the umpire's uniform."
Q. How did the coaches and players treat you?
"I think a lot of the kids were really surprised to see a mom, woman, lady, umpiring a game, but once the novelty of that wore off they forgot the gender of their umpire. The coaches were really respectful. I know these two particular coaches have umpired games before, so they showed regard for the person suiting up to umpire their game. There was one play when I called time out because a kid had lost his shoe running the bases before the play had stopped—that's the mom in me—but the coaches didn't make a big deal about it, and I self-corrected after the game: 'play must stop before calling time!' Everyone was polite, so it was a pleasure to officiate the game."
It’s really encouraging to hear that the coaches, players, and parents were polite and respectful. Unfortunately, there is a nationwide shortage of umpires and officials, largely due to the abuse and disrespect they often face from adults during games.
After experiencing a significant decline in our volunteer umpire program as a result of this behavior, Banneker City took decisive action. In 2023, at the direction of Little League International President Stephen Keener, Banneker City implemented a zero-tolerance policy to protect our umpires and restore a positive game environment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1JBzmTook8.
Since instituting this zero tolerance policy, the Banneker City Umpires Association has steadily grown into a strong, supportive community.
"Yes, absolutely—it’s definitely a community among the umpires. The camaraderie during training, and the conversations off the field about how to make the games more enjoyable and a true learning experience for our kids, is really amazing. I didn’t fully appreciate that sense of community among the umpires until I became a part of it."
Q. How was the process of going from a spectator to an umpire?
"It was pretty straightforward. I completed the online training and took the BCUA quiz online. I also attended the BCUA clinic and the Little League Umpire Outreach Clinic in Virginia with some of my fellow BCUA members. Our Umpire-In-Chief, Aris Payne-Tsoupros, is wonderful—I received my uniform and equipment quickly. The process was really streamlined."
Q. Any problems?
"YEAH! I put on my chest protector first and quickly realized the difficulty in trying to lean forward to put on my shin guards and shoes with a chest protector on. So, there is an order to getting dressed as an umpire. Note to self: 'chest protector goes on last!'"
Q. Was it as easy as it looked?
"Not at all. Umpiring is not as easy as it looks, but it's not as scary as I thought either. I think the hardest part for me was staying still behind the plate when a baseball is coming directly at you. Once I was able to remain still—what umpires call "keeping your camera lens (eyes) in focus,"—I was able to maintain a consistent strike zone. That consistency really helps the players excel because they do not have to guess what's a ball and what's a strike."
Q. When is your next game?
"April 11th. I'm looking forward to it!"
Q. Any parting words for our volunteers who are contemplating becoming an umpire, particularly our moms?
"Yes! I know a lot of women might prefer to look cute on the sideline—but you can look even cuter behind the plate! Just kidding… kind of. Really, there are too many Team Moms/Dads in the dugout, at least 4 for each team; too many parents are volunteering for the comfortable positions.
On a serious note, my kids don't get to see me at work—how I handle challenges, long meetings, or different personalities—so this was a great opportunity for me to emulate for my kids how to do something that you're not necessarily comfortable doing. How to conquer your fears without preaching about it.
And now I can even talk to my son about how to tell a ball from a strike when it’s coming in—so that’s a win! Ha!"
Thanks Umpire Katie!
|