Announcement
As the Umpire Coordinator of the Western Region for Little League Baseball and Softball I am humbled by the responsibility and look forward to working with each and every one of you. It is only with the support and participation of all Little League volunteers that we can reach our ultimate goal. It is our responsibility to utilize the Little League program to teach each youngster the positive life skills necessary to help them become better adults and hopefully the future leaders of our country and the world. It is a responsibility I take very seriously and look forward to partnering with each of you.
We are excited about continuing to improve both the instruction and the support of the Volunteer Umpire. A special thank you to the Western Region Little League Umpire Alumni Association (WRLLUAA) for the complete overhaul and improvement of the sound system at the Regional Training room. If you are eligible please become a member of the Association and/or make a contribution as they are doing yeoman’s work to support the Western Region volunteer umpire.
We will continue to support the Volunteer Umpires. We will be establishing a Western Region Rules Committee which will be the advocates for potential changes to the rules directed to Williamsport. It will also be couched with the responsibility of responding to rule questions within the Western Region and where appropriate communicate some of those discussions via the website for the benefit of all within the Western Region. Contact me and I will work with the Committee.
At some point we will be announcing a Regional/World Series Advocate. For those of you who have been selected as a Western Region or World Series Volunteer Umpire, we want you to have a go to point for any questions you may have relative to items as tangible as what to bring with you and as internal as what you can expect when you get there. It is our desire to continue to work hard to have both the Baseball and Softball Regional and World Series umpire prepared to represent the Western Region positively and help you excel when there.
We would like to expand everyone’s understanding of the commitment of the Volunteer Little League Umpire. As a community based organization, we want to promote the work and support all of you are providing to the community under your umpire banner. Are your League or District Umpires supporting an organization or cause in your community? Are they participating in Golf Tournaments, Walks or Runs, donating umpire equipment, etc.? If so we want to know. We would love to receive photographs of that involvement with a little blurb for the Regional website so we can broadcast to all, the involvement of the Volunteer Little League Umpire off the field.
Finally, as many of you have requested, we will be advocating for the return of the Junior Umpire School to the Western Region. Without any promise of outcome, please know that we in the West believe that the Junior Umpire program is an important aspect of the success we hope to attain and another opportunity to affect a young person in a positive way.
These are some of the areas we will be working on. We will continue to try new ideas, listen to your needs/desires and continue to partner with you. Thank you to all who have reached out to me and expressed your support. I look forward to work with each of you. I hope to see you all at a Western Region or Outreach Clinic. Please don’t hesitate to ever contact me or stop me to say hello.
Thank you
Mark Bernstein
