We have all been there. It is a nice sunny day and are settling down to watch our son or daughter compete in a Little League game. The teams have warmed up and everyone is ready to go. But wait, where are the umpires? Your child’s coach then informs you that no umpires are assigned to the game and parents will have to assist with umpire duty. You volunteer to help and your relaxing afternoon has just become a stressful one as you struggle to understand the rules and make accurate and fair judgment calls on the field of play.

How can this happen? Why don’t we have at least 2 umpires assigned to every game? Remember that Little League is a volunteer organization. Without hesitation, parents volunteer with coaching, field maintenance, opening day ceremonies, and a variety of other requirements. So how come we cannot get enough umpires? Is it the time commitment? Is it the complexity of the rules? Are you concerned about making a bad call? Maybe it is a combination of all of these?

There is no question that volunteering to umpire Little League games does require a commitment of time, however, not as much as you may think. When an adult volunteers to be an umpire, one-on-one training is provided which includes game rules and field mechanics describing when to move where when a given action happens on the field. All required equipment is provided. You'll be paired with a veteran umpire for at least two games as a guide. Then you team up with other umpires for subsequent games. Umpire as many games as you want although one game per week is preferred. You will never be asked to officiate your own child’s game.

ANSLL's youth umpires work most of our games and do an amazing job! However, there is no substitute for having a uniformed adult officiate a game. Having at least one adult umpire every Minors, Majors, and Juniors game is our goal. With your assistance, this can happen. Our players are trying their best and they deserve top notch officiating that includes adult volunteers (parents and guardians). Don’t you agree?

As an incentive, adult umpires will receive a complimentary season registration after umpiring six ANSLL games throughout the season.

Please contact me at [email protected] at any time and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

If you are interested in umpiring ANSLL games, please CLICK HERE to complete an interest form.

Starting as young as 12 (must have turned 12 by 8/31/2024), youth umpires provide an invaluable service to ANSLL. They begin umpiring Minors games and then start moving up to Majors or even 90-foot Juniors level games as they gain experience. Youth umpires are paid a stipend for their time per game to cover expenses. However, they can also ask to be given volunteer hours that they can apply to school or other community requirements. ANSLL provides training on the rules and the mechanics needed (see below).

Youth umpire stipend payments:

If your child is interested in umpiring ANSLL games, please CLICK HERE to complete an interest form. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Umpire training for the 2024 Spring Season:

New umpires must attend umpire training sessions (all sessions). ANSLL highly encourages returning umpires attend the training sessions too. These sessions provide the most current Little League rules and regulations as well as umpire field mechanics.

Umpire classroom training will happen on the following dates: 3/7, 3/12, 3/13, 3/18 and 3/19 6:30-8:30 @ Canterbury Woods Elementary School. There will also be on field training, date TBD.

New umpire equipment distribution:

New umpires will be provided umpire equipment which includes ANSLL embroidered polo shirt, hat, plate brush, umpire indicator, and drawstring bag. New umpire equipment is $40 (a one time fee).

First year umpires (aged 12 years old) will be assigned ANSLL minors level of games (AA & AAA).

Umpires age 13 and older with 1 year umpire experience are eligible to umpire Majors games.

Umpires aged 15 and older are eligible to umpire (90-foot) Juniors level.