If you grew up playing the game of baseball and still have the desire to stay involved in the game, why not become an umpire?
The Corpus Christi Baseball Umpires Association is in great need of umpires at the high school level.
Every year the number of area baseball umpires continues to drop.
Recruiting efforts have been made to increase the numbers, but more umpires are leaving than are joining. As the average age of officials keeps rising, there are more officials older than 50 than under 30.
“Corpus Christi has great baseball, and there are games almost every day, especially in high school,” Corpus Christi Baseball Umpires Association secretary Larry Amaya said. “We do have a need for umpires that want to work and get involved in high school baseball games, and we always need umpires.”
According to the Texas Association of Sports Officials, the top reason for officials turnover?
Verbal abuse. More than 70 percent of officials who left the profession in 2017 cited verbal abuse as the top reason.
“There is a lot of noise going on. A lot of catcalls coming out, so to speak,” Amaya said. “We just have to have thick skin and turn our ears off and focus on the field. The people in the stands can be ruthless, and it is part of the game people say, but we will train you to focus on the field, to help be a part of the game.”
The Association also worries about the future of umpires, especially with the increase in the number of high schools across the state and the lack of similar growth among the ranks of those in blue.
“We have about 70 members right now, and we are looking to increase anywhere from 80-100 umpires,” Amaya said. “We are a part of TASO baseball, and we umpire all UIL games here in the area. We service over 27 schools from middle school all the way up to varsity. We have been fortunate enough to call games at every level of playoffs, from district all the way to the state level.”
If you would like to be a part of The Corpus Christi Baseball Umpires Association, they will be holding a chapter meeting later today in the Lecture Hall at the West Oso Middle School, 5202 Bear Lane. The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m.
For more information contact: Larry Amaya at (361) 947-8677
