Leading up to the season, we will be featuring testimonials from some of our umpires, which we hope will inspire you to consider joining the Blue Crew this year.

This testimonial will focus on one of our youth umpires Avery Giotta!

 

 

What initially motivated you to volunteer as an umpire for PHBA?

What initially motivated me to sign up as a youth umpire for PHBA was that I really wanted to volunteer for an organization that cares about its umpires and all of its players. My sisters had played softball for several years through PHBA and I went to all their games and absolutely loved getting to learn about the sport so I wanted to put some of the knowledge to use as a youth umpire.

 

What have been some of the most rewarding moments you’ve had while umpiring?

One of the most rewarding moments I had while working as an umpire was working my first ever game on opening day. This was a great experience because I knew I had been well prepared for it and was supported by awesome and knowledgeable tenured umpires. Another really rewarding moment I got to experience was getting to work several Special Olympics games this summer, which was truly such a fun day that I will cherish forever.

 

What kind of training and support did you receive, and how did it prepare you for the role?

The training and support I received from the Blue Crew was absolutely amazing. As a youth umpire I attend two classes for training, one for learning the rules and positions and another for learning all the calls I would need to know during a game. As for support, everyone on the Blue Crew became a mentor to me throughout the whole training process. I had some of the best and most experienced umpires there for me whenever I had a question. Being able to have their support really meant so much to me and was one of the reasons I always felt confident when umpiring.

 

What would you say to someone who is on the fence about volunteering as an umpire?

What I would say to someone who was on the fence about becoming an umpire is to go for it and try it. I have loved every moment I have gotten to umpire through PHBA. Everyone is so incredibly kind and nice. The people involved in softball and baseball including other umpires, players, coaches and staff…truly everyone, always make it feel like you have a home at PHBA.

 

Ready to take the next step?  Click here to visit the Umpire Resources page to learn more about the training requirements and sign up to join the Blue Crew!  You can also contact Drew Roberts at droberts@phba.org.

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