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• Contact us to let us know you are interested in becoming an umpire. You will receive a welcome note with information about our training program.

 

• Attend the training sessions (see the calendar for more information). These are classroom, gym, and field training sessions designed to get you ready to umpire. The training is free to you.

 

• Pay your annual USA Softball Registration fee. You can pay this at any training session or any general membership meeting also online.

 

• Sign our online  Association Member Services Agreement.

 

• Fill out an USA Softball  background check form. You will need to submit it with a copy of your driver’s license at a training or general membership meeting.

 

• Attend the General Membership meetings. These are held once a month from January to April and offer essential updates to rules and mechanics as well as a chance to meet and mingle with all the association umpires. Check out the upcoming events/calendar to find the time and location of the next meeting.

 

• Upon completing the training, you will get information about how to log into our assignment system. Once you fill out all required information on Arbiter, including your availability, we will let the assigners know that you are ready to work games.

 

• Working high school games have additional registration and requirements, be sure to ask your training staff what else you will need to do to get on a high school field.

 

• Get out on the field and umpire some games!

 USA Softball of Houston Uniform Requirements

• All clothing shall be washed and cleaned on a regular basis and be wrinkle-free at the beginning of each day’s assignments. Shoes shall be brushed and polished before each day’s assignments and cleaned between assignments on the same day.

 

• When multiple umpires are working a game they must all dress in the same color scheme. Everyone must be in same color shirt and pants. There can be different length uniform sleeves on the same field as long as the shirts are the same color. All umpires do not have to be in jackets.

 

• If a shirt is worn under the powder blue shirt, it must be plain and white. If a shirt is worn under the navy blue shirt, it must be plain and navy blue.

 

• In all games the powder blue shirt and gray pants are the default uniform. Variations are up to the umpiring crew.

Dress Code

• For all USA Softball  sanctioned games, the umpire shall wear the powder blue or navy USA Softball  shirt and heather gray or navy pants or navy shorts(slow pitch only) and the approved USA Softball cap and ball bag(s). Shoes and belt must be black, all other equipment shall be as mandated in the most current USA

• Softball Rule Book.

• UMPIRE UNIFORM

 

HAT: USA Softball Logo Navy blue, fitted, 6 or 8 stitch.

 

SHIRT: USA Softball  Logo Powder blue pullover with navy and white trim on collar and sleeves, or USA Softball Logo, Navy blue pullover with red and white trim on collar and sleeves.

 

UNDERSHIRT: White short sleeved with Powder blue uniform shirt. Navy short sleeved with Navy blue uniform shirt.

 

PANTS: Heather gray long dress pants with belt loops for fastpitch games.Heather gray or navy, shorts or long dress pants with belt loops for slowpitch games.

 

BELT: All black with plain silver buckle

 

SOCKS: Black or Navy, above ankle length

 

SHOES: ALL BLACK athletic shoes

 

INDICATOR: Balls, Strikes, and Outs minimum, Innings optional

 

BRUSH: Black bristle

 

JACKET: USA Softball Navy blue jacket pullover or zip up.

 

SUNGLASSES: Black frame with non-reflective lenses. Straps holding glasses must fit tight to head.

 

GLOVES: Black or navy blue if needed

 

TIME PIECE: Watch or stopwatch carried in your pocket

 

ADDITIONAL FASTPITCH PLATE UMPIRE UNIFORM

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HAT: USA Softball Logo, Navy blue, fitted, 4 or 6 stitch.

 

PANTS: Heather gray long dress pants with belt loops, preferably cut for plate umpires. No shorts can be worn.

 

SHOES: ALL BLACK plate shoes

 

MASK: All black frame, pads, and harness

 

BALL BAG: USA Softball Logo, Navy blue or Gray. Either one or two bags

 

FLIPPING COIN: For determining home team, when necessary

 

LINEUP HOLDER/PENCIL: As necessary

 

SHIN GUARDS: Worn under pants

 

CHEST PROTECTOR: Worn under shirt

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USA Softball of Houston UIC Contacts

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Stoney Burke         Commissioner   Stoney@usasoftballhouston.com        281.723.3033

Brian Mount           Slowpitch UIC    Brian@usasoftballhouston.com          713.876.8274

John Scott               Fastpitch UIC     John@usasoftballhouston.com            281.686.2913