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Originally Posted by Dholloway1962
However, I believe the biggest set back to keeping rookies is the high price of start up costs. How much does it cost to get all the gear your first year, I have estimated it between $500-$600 to get started. Hard for a 16-21 year old to come up with that kind of cash, let alone anyone!!
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I estimate I paid $200 for gear as I was preparing work my 1st fastpitch season. Granted, I used only the basic, necessary and essential items with thoughts of acquiring everything else prior to season 2 or 3. And that I did.
Some equipment stores sell a starter package and the many that I have seen advertised are ussually less than $150 and provide everything a new umpire needs.
I've been thinking of creating a "Equipment Swap Sheet" for my HS organization where all umpires can list an item or two that they'd wish to sell (discounted) or give to new officials.
As for recruiting & retaining younger umpires....
We're not very sucessfull and our strategies to recruit are basically non-existent.
However, I believe targeting players or former players to think about umpiring as a summer job is a start especially if an organization has very few female umpires as is our case.
Anyone recruit players or former players?