HOW TO BECOME AN ISF CERTIFIED UMPIRE   

Most umpires want to know how they can be selected to officiate at world championships, regional games, or even the Olympics. The following will provide information on obtaining certification as an ISF umpire.

First, the softball umpire must be registered with the National Governing Body (NGB) for softball in their country. To find out who the NGB is in your country, see the bottom half of the Directory/Member Countries page in the “The ISF” section of this website. Contact details are provided there so that you can obtain more information from these organizations.

THE INITIAL STEP IS TRAINING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

All countries have umpire training available. There are rules clinics, mechanic schools, and advanced fast pitch camps at the local, national, or regional levels. Umpires who take time to advance their knowledge and to display what skills they have learned in front of evaluators, including local or regional Umpires In Chief (UIC), will be rewarded by receiving assignments to local, regional, or national championships, and, once certified, a regional or world championship.

The next step is applying for an ISF Umpire Certification School. Each country has requirements that must be met in order to attend a school held approximately every two years within their region. Again, the requirement information would be available either from the softball organization you contacted previously or by checking the ISF website for upcoming umpire schools. In most cases it requires assignment to several national championships achieving the highest evaluation possible at the assignments, or to reach the highest rating level available in their country. In the United States, for example, it would be to achieve the ASA’s “Elite” level in umpiring. Other countries have various levels with Level One the lowest and Level Five or Six being the highest. An umpire must reach the highest level in order to apply for an ISF umpire school. Once the application is completed, approved, and signed by the umpire’s UIC and governing body (to verify qualifications) and approved by the ISF, the umpire is invited to attend a school of their choice.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT AN ISF CERTIFIED SCHOOL

At the five-day school, both rules and mechanics are reviewed. The umpire is observed in drills, evaluated in live games (50%), and given a 100-question rules examination (30%). Case Play situations (5%) and Mechanics Play situations (5%) are offered for each umpire to describe the rules and/or proper coverage for the three- or four- umpire system. The replies are provided by each umpire in front of all in attendance. The final evaluation is working behind the plate behind live pitching or a pitching machine (10%). Overall, the umpire must achieve a 90% or higher score to be certified.

Once certified, the umpire is eligible to be assigned to a world championship. Each participating country can select from their eligible list of certified umpires, and the host country has 3-4 selections. Some countries participating in the championship may not have certified umpires, therefore if more umpires are needed, based on the number of teams participating, the ISF can add as many at-large umpires as required.

The International Softball Federation and its umpiring staff is also working to increase females in umpiring. Click here to view the "Increasing Female Umpire Participation" presentation made at the XXIII Congress in October 2007, which was made on the heels of the late September 2007 Female Umpire Forum at the ISF world headquarters.

For inquiries regarding the information contained on this page, please contact ISF Director of Umpires Bob Stanton.