We start inhouse training at 12. Kids attend classroom and field training during winterball, and call one game per week. From those kids we select a crew that work regular season work for our league. Players can't umpire in their own divisions, and the umpires are selected to work according to their skill levels.
My son, now 14, has risen through the ranks and last week did plates for Majors district championships. He's got invited to work AllStars next week for Juniors. The skills he's learned in three years of umpiring will take him a lot farther than learning to hit a curveball. I couldn't be prouder of him.
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