So if you really know me you know what I do. I umpire baseball. Have so for a while. I know I'm weird. I have no idea why I like it so. I'm the weirdo who watches baseball games for the umpires. Take me to a Traveler's or Em's game and it's just what I do. Things are changing in our lives soon so I thought I'd let you know bout it. So thought I'd give you a little back story on where I have been so will better understand where I am headed.
Like so many I played baseball growing up. But I can remember the day while watching my brother Chris play a game I told myself I could do that. So I found myself watching the umpires. Still do.
At 14 I started working the Tball, pitching machine and other games. Oddly I was quite good. Don't know way. I wanted to be good. Loved doing it.
By 18 I was getting ready for college. I was prepared to actually take over as the Umpire-in-Chief (supervisor) for the local Babe Ruth umpires. However Coach Stan Brown, my former Civics and History teach had other ideas. He suggested I start working high school games. Well from there I have been doing it since. There were games where I was doing high level varsity games at 18 while some of the players were the same age. I always thought that was cool.
While in high school that new fangled world wide web was catching on. I don't know how I learned of it but found out that there were actual umpire schools. One in Arizona and one in Florida. (but now both in FL). I was very intrigued with the idea of working professional baseball. Frankly I really wanted to. However found a girlfriend and went off to college instead.
That same year started to work some practice college games and did some non-conference games the next 4 years. Billie Jo and I married in 2005 and moved to Oregon. I had all intentions of working as an athletic trainer for good. To be honest I still would have jumped on any chance to go to Pro school if I could. But newly married and not stable enough.
So here I am now been doing High School games and some college for 9 years. Wow can't believe that! And Billie Jo and I are in a crossroads. I have finished school and worked for 4 years while she finished her PhD. I decided to leave my job at Willamette and move to Portland. She got a great job there. So What will I do you ask. Well I plan to follow the dream. I actually am going to go to professional umpire school. I had been saying for a few years that I was not that interested in going. I lied, mostly to myself. When BJ got the job and we were deciding on what I should do for the next year she said to me, well you could come with me and do something you always wanted to do. Like umpire school. Yep I practically was sold then and there. But it was tough to decide because I really liked my job. A lot.
Any who so I prayed about it and got a complete peace from God about it. I even got peace about which school to go to. Have friends who have went to both and gotten jobs from them. Each said theirs is better. One day I woke up and just knew. I decided to attend Jim Evan's Academy of Professional Umpiring. He was a MLB umpire for years and has a background in Education. One of the best umpires I know went there and became an instructor. I would love to understand baseball the way he does. So that's why I'm going there.
Well why do you want to go there? I love to learn about umpiring. It is hard to get better without working with those who are better. Granted I get to work with some talented guys here in Eugene, but this will really push me. I am hoping to turn this into a new career for me. More on that soon.
So what is this Pro School you speak of?
5 weeks (in Orlando), 6 days a week, 8am-6pm of classroom, batting cages, scenarios and fieldwork.
It is going to be tough. The yell and scream similar to bootcamp. The push you and make you better. The honor graduates (top 25) get recommended for PBUC (professional baseball umpires corp). At PBUC you have a try out in Cocoa Beach for a minor league job.
I have been working hard since February to get ready. I have dropped 17lbs, I eat better, and workout daily. I have been getting ready for it. A friend of mine who worked in the minor leagues told me to control what you can control. Simply control what you can so you have the best shot. I can control my fitness, so I am. Among many other little things.
Anyways I know this was long. But I wanted to share. I'm really pumped about going. It starts January 3rd. If you want to check it out go to the website
www.umpireacademy.com Also I will be blogging or Tweetering it while I am gone. I take a look and follow me through my journey. Greatest thing is that Billie Jo is supporting me in this. Which means to me the world. She is the greatest. I'm a lucky man.
