Umpires FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Why should I become an umpire?

There are endless reasons to try your hand at umpiring baseball.

• Great for building character, teamwork, and leadership skills
• Build lifelong friendships
• Stay active and outdoors all summer
• Flexible schedules
• Get paid, make some extra summer savings
• Perfect first job experience for youth officials
• Excellent bonding activity for parents and children

Who can become an umpire?

Anyone, boys and girls, 12 year of age and older can certify to become an umpire. No past baseball experience is required.

How much does it cost to umpire?

The cost to become certified is $60, but it can be free. Umpires who certify and work 10 games through Red River Valley Baseball will be reimbursed their clinic fee. An even greater incentive, if an umpire works 30 games through Red River Valley Baseball they will earn an extra $150.

What equipment is needed to umpire?

Basic catchers gear is required for working behind the plate, this includes a mask, chest protector, shin guards, and protective cup. For your uniform you will need black or powder blue collared shirt (no logos), grey pants, black shoes, and a black baseball cap (no logos). A Baseball Manitoba umpire patch will be provided.

How do I become certified?

To become an umpire you can register for a clinic through Baseball Manitoba and sign up for any clinic in the Red River Valley Baseball area.

How do the clinics work?

For level 1 and 2 umpires, the clinic will be split into sections, an online course and an on field course. The online course is roughly 2 hours in length and the on field course will run 6 hours.

For level 3 umpires, the course will be done completely online for 2021.

Once certified what position will I be filling on the field?

We train all umpires to be able to work as both the plate umpire and the base umpire. Our goal at Red River Valley is to have two umpires for all games, as such when selecting games you can choose to work the plate or the bases.

How often will I be working games?

Umpire at your own leisure, you can work as many or as few games as you wish. The online assigning tool allows you to pick what games you work, when you want to work.

Do I have to travel to umpire games?

Travel outside your community is not a requirement of umpiring. Just like you can select what days you want to work, the online assigning tool also allows you to pick and choose what locations. While Red River Valley Baseball does extend outside the city of Winnipeg there is no requirement to travel.

For those living outside Winnipeg and travel into the city to umpire, there is a $10 incentive for travel. The same incentive is applied for those who live inside Winnipeg and travel outside the city to umpire.