Just curious.
I have seen several references on this and other boards about umpires going through a training program which includes both classroom and practice game sessions. In the "short" eight years I have been around the game, I have never heard of any players from around my area having been involved in any games that were for official's training.
How is this usually done and are practice games the exception or the norm?
Play Ball.

Umpire Training
 

I umpire baseball, fastpitch softball and slowpitch AA leagues in the Mid-Atlantic States. The baseball association I belong to holds several clinics every year covering rules, cage work, angle distance and game management. They also hold an advance class for those who will be umpiring Mid-Atlantic college baseball games in Florida annually. The fastpitch softball association I belong to hold training clinics for both rookie umpires and veteran umpires on weekends from January through February each year and they also host a regional ASA advanced clinic in early March. The slowpitch softball association I'm involved with holds similiar training sessions as the fastpitch association.

Michael

Yes. Very nice.
 

Nushi Yahahoma,

I attended the ASa Advanced Fastpitch Camp and let me tell you, it was worth the money. Most States do not have a good, quality umpire school other than a quick afternoon or night. I spent about $900 and I got every cent worth. Bernie Savoie sure is a great guy.

Training past the quick schools is a personal choice. No one can make you go but it will always help you personally and giv eyou some credit in the eyes of those above you.

Re: Yes. Very nice.
 

Delaware ASA conducts a one-day school. Cost to student is $15 and includes a shirt. It was developed by Tom Mason and basically mirrors a downsized National School. Remember, at this level, we are catering basically to new umpires, so veterans who use this as a refresher may seem bored, but we will keep them active as possible.

And whenever possible, BOB Savoie will attend and speak. Bernie Profato would not be one of our regulars. Now, I have to figure out who was really the nice guy you referenced, Bob or Bernie!

Our Associations also holds class room clinics for the rookie umpires. We also will get with the local teams and have a Jamboree were the rookie umpires donate thier time and get to see live pitching. This has worked well as it gives the teams a chance to play in the early spring and also is benficial to the umpires.

Here in Indiana we have a good 2 day umpire school. It is the same basic information that you get from the National school. It is required that you attend it once every three years to continue to get scheduled to state tourneys.

Training
 

Our association conducts a rules clinic (one day a week for 6-7 weeks), several mechanics clinics, and we use a local league that has an opening day where all the teams a couple of innings, they have a BBQ, and opening ceremonies. We use this for our practice games to give our umpires some real time training on mechanics.