[WindyCityBlue]

Mary,
Where do you live?
A good starting point would be to contact the High School Association in your state and ask for a directory of baseball officials. There are probably guys in your area that would be happy to assist. That said, getting an official accredited (patched) is a matter of paying a feee, taking a nationally approved test and receiving a passing score. IT IS NOT DIFFICULT.

Second, ask that same association if there are any official's organizations in teh area. Give them a call and find out what there rates are. You might be pleasantly surprised and they can handle the scheduling headache for you.

Finally, as a couple of members here have alluded, the patch means nothing if the official is inept. Likewise, a good official can be frightened off by parents and fans that don't know how to behave. Be careful what you hope for, a lot of officials that are "forced" to receive accreditation, may find that they can make more money working elsewhere. As you've found, they can be a rare commodity in some areas.