Greetings!

Thank you for your interest in the Del Mar Little League umpire program.

Little Leagues worldwide are supported on the shoulders of volunteers in the local communities, and DMLL is no exception. Managers, Coaches, Team Parents, and the League Board all give considerable time and effort for the benefit of youth in our community. The league's local umpire program is for both adult and youth volunteers. For youth, this is an absolutely unique opportunity for them to gain "real world" leadership training and experience - and gain skillsets applicable throughout their lives.

Also, our junior/student umpires (for those enrolled in school), have options to receive credit letters for community service hours, and/or be paid an expense allowance to help cover their expenses for transportation and any optional gear or uniform items they may choose to utilize. Umpires just starting in our program receive an expense reimbursement of $20 per game. There are opportunities to increase the per-game expense reimbursement each year for our continuing participants (with return attendance at umpire mechanics clinic) up to $40 per game. New umpires should be 11 years old or above (can be 10 if playing above the AA division).

DMLL has protective gear specifically for umpire use at most fields (optional, or acquire your own gear), and supplies umpire shirts for program participants. Umpires will need to obtain their own gray pants. A suggestion: Dickies double-knee work pants, charcoal color, are durable, easy to care for, come in youth and adults sizes, and have worked quite well in the past. They are available at Dickies outlet stores - and multiple locations online.

Other uniform expectations umpires are expected to acquire and wear include: black shoes, black socks, black belt, black hat (can have baseball-related logo on it in case you already have one).  Black shoes can be players' plastic cleats (if predominantly black in color).

All new DMLL umpires are required to attend an umpire mechanics clinic prior to being given game assignments.  These can be any Western Region Little League mechanics clinic that's conducted in our area.  Each year, our district typically conducts an excellent (4-6 hour) mechanics clinic on a single Saturday around the end of January or beginning of February.

When attending a mechanics clinic, be sure to wear athletic shoes with comfortable clothing - and bring your own water/snacks in case none are provided.

Again, mechanics clinic attendance is *required* in order to receive umpire assignments with DMLL.  Return attendance at umpire mechanics clinics each new year are the primary requirement for junior/student umpires to raise the per game expense reimbursement each year.  Junior/student umpires start at $20 per game, and each year can increase through 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 (max) in subsequent years.

We will also schedule multiple 75-minute umpire meetings locally for DMLL umpires during the season (weekday evenings). More details on our main DMLL umpire page. 

If you have any questions, please let me know.  I look forward to working with you and/or other family members in the DMLL umpire program. Thank you for your help, and I look forward to seeing you on the ball field!

Regards,

Doug Means
DMLL Chief of Umpires
[email protected]