The Stroudsburg Little League is holding a free Umpire clinic on Saturday, April 7! The clinic will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the ESSA fieldhouse at Creekview park, 98 Serfass Lane in Stroudsburg.

The clinic will bring an opportunity to learn about the sport, and the rules of the game, said Ms. Alexa Trifilo, Stroudsburg little leagues information officer.

The clinic is open to all ages and will provide the students with an opportunity to experience something worthwhile. There are openings for paid positions for students willing to give their time in return.

You must be 13 or older to volunteer to umpire, said Trifilo. You must be 16 years or older to umpire a Majors Division or above game which is a paying position.

The clinic runs yearly and is taught by Mr. Ian Mitchell, an experienced umpire who is involved in the Stroudsburg Little League program.

I played baseball as a child and participated in Little League, Babe Ruth, American Legion and high school baseball. I played as an adult for the US Navy Charleston South Carolina baseball team while serving in the US Navy, said Mitchell. I have been umpiring in the Stroudsburg Little League for 11 years.

There has been a moderate turnout for this event each year, but the league has been working hard to get more people to sign up for this years clinic. More umpires will certainly benefit the children who participate in the league.

We host an umpire clinic to provide our umpires with knowledge related to Little League International rules and regulations and to provide them with an understanding of the responsibilities of umpires and their duties. stated Mitchell

The Stroudsburg little leagues goal is to provide a rewarding experience for young boys and girls willing to learn. Currently with over 30 teams in the league, it is clear that many children are interested.

The players benefit by having umpires who understand the rules of the game and are well versed in their responsibilities on the field, said Mitchell

The league officials want to make sure that the children learn how to play the game correctly. With a sport comes rules, and rules often change in baseball and softball. The umpire clinic will review and go over new and old rules of the games.

Most umpires work very hard to exhibit clear calm decisive action on the field while respecting everyone involved in the game. For those of us who truly love the game of baseball there is no better way to watch a game than standing behind home plate and being involved in the game, said Mitchell.

For more information, send us an email or email [email protected]

http://www.stroudsburglittleleague.org/