How to get into IHSA Officiating
 

Hi guys, I was just wondering how one gets into calling high school level games. I have the IHSA patch, but I am only 18. I was wondering whether there is a certain age I have to be, and if there are any other specific rules. I passed the part I examination and I attended a clinic. Any help, advice, or facts are greatly appreciated.

One place to start:

Fox Valley Blues Umpires Association

Summer ball going on now.

Where do you live in the Chicago area? That is the most important thing. I would not recommend you contact any organization outside of your intermediate area for baseball. Games are too hard to get to in Chicago area to try to work outside of your living or working area. ;)

Peace

To add to what Jeff said:

1) There's a list of associations on the OIHSA website

2) Go to a local HS or two on a weekday afternoon (that's when summer ball is played -- most games start around 2:00) and ask the umpires for contact information.

Or, give the location here and someone will point yhou in a direction or two.

Another option is to contact the head coach of high schools local to you, private and public, and ask what association provides their officials. I did this when I got back into officiating basketball and it worked ok.

That would not be something he would need to do now or I would recommend at this time. He has plenty people here alone that actually know who to go based on his area. A coach only knows who assigns their games most of the time and do not understand who assigns other schools by name or organization. Also Chicago is so big that you can be surrounded by 5 schools and have 3 different assignors to those games.

Peace