Call is out for new umpires in Westman

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This article was published 08/04/2025 (409 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Bruce Luebke is a very busy man.

Between his full-time job with Sunrise Credit Union and his side gigs as a city councillor and the multiple committees he sits on as a result, he’s also looking to recruit some help for one other passion in his life.

He’s been a softball umpire for more than 20 years, and now he and his colleagues in that realm are hoping to recruit more help.

Both Softball Manitoba and Baseball Manitoba are looking to recruit, train, and hopefully retain more umpires over the long run, and they’re offering incentives to those considering giving it a shot.

“I probably umpire more than I should,” said Luebke, of the approximately up to 20-hours per week he sometimes spends on the diamond in summer.

The issue isn’t necessarily the overall number of umpires in the system, it’s that since COVID-19, many of the longtime umps have called it a career, meaning there’s a diminishing number of the high-level officials in the game.

Getting more newcomers into the system benefits all involved, according to Luebke.

“The most obvious is a little bit of pocket money, but what we’ve seen and why I stay involved as much as I do, is when you see a young person that grows not only as an umpire but as a person, grow out of their shell and become more engaged, that’s the rewarding part,” said Luebke.

“As an umpire, you’re part of a team and that creates some camaraderie. It’s a lot like team sports, and the benefits of that are endless.”

Both organizations are looking for more officials, and not just here in Brandon and Westman, but province-wide.

While there are a lot of parallels between umpiring the two sports there are some subtle differences, meaning both sports are looking to get more officials into the system, trained on the intricacies of the game, and advance through the levels to higher competition.

Clinics for Level 1 and Level 2 officials are being offered all month, and Softball Manitoba has launched an online training module to help those just starting out work through the ranks and on to the field more conveniently.

“The online module acts a bit of a pre-requisite, split up over eight lessons, that allows them to get a jump on the training,” said Luebke.

“Calling the game is strikes and balls, outs, fairs and fouls. This helps get a jump on things like rules and definitions, basic understandings. When they come to the clinic in person, then they get the hands-on, on-field learning environment.”

Luebke pointed out how Manitoba is the first province to have the online training module and Softball Canada is looking to adopt the platform.

Meanwhile, Baseball Manitoba has already hosted two information sessions for Level 1 certification clinics in Killarney and Dauphin, and this weekend two more sessions will be held in Virden and Neepawa before coming to Brandon April 22 and 24.

Regardless the differences in the game, the goal is the same: to get more young people in the game and educated on how to manage a game and handle difficult situations as they arise.

“We see it all the time that when young umpires step away, isn’t related to umpiring, but as people get older they get other things going on and life gets in the way,” said Luebke.

“Sometimes it’s about the treatment of the umpires on the field, but generally speaking our coaches in Western Manitoba are really good and work with us in a positive way, but that’s not always the case in other events or other tournaments.”

There are no previous requirements necessary for those just starting out in Level 1 in both softball and baseball. Both ask that you simply bring a passion to support grassroots sports in your community.

The potential also exists to work through the levels and get to Level 5, which opens the door to international competition.

The only other requirement is that participants be a minimum of 12 years old.

Baseball Manitoba is offering a new system for beginners this year as well: yellow armbands for minors to designate to coaches and spectators that they are just starting out and will hopefully be afforded a little more leniency when it comes to making difficult decisions.

Luebke is touting the opportunity as a way to earn extra income with a flexible schedule, but said it also offers a great way for young people to develop beneficial skills such as teamwork, cooperation, decision making and public speaking.

Both the Softball Manitoba and Baseball Manitoba websites provide registration information and resources for potential umpires.

» mpackwood@brandonsun.com