Dealing with youth baseball/softball umpires

The contribution of time and the devotion of the Little League umpire often go unrewarded, if not unnoticed. But, as a representative of the program, which serves youth worldwide and has earned respect for integrity and discipline, the umpire fills a unique role.

Likened to a police officer, the umpire must command respect and enforce the rules of the game. He or she must also have knowledge of children and make every effort to be a good ambassador for Little League.


The first thing that parents need to realize about umpires is that their goals are different than the coaches and parents. Coaches want to win; umpires want to keep it fair, safe and run in an orderly manner.


Be careful of spending too much time worrying about the umpires. The biggest mistake that coaches and parents make in dealing with umpires is assuming that they will not make any errors.

Be careful of holding them to a higher standard than you hold the players. Saying ‘please’ & ‘thank you’ go a long way.

Remember that even though a few tough calls may go against your team. The “sports gods” are watching and it all has a way of equaling out.

You should not bark or yell at umpires. Rather, appreciate that without them you could not have a game.Allow your coach to communicate with them. umpires are not always right, but they do get the last word.