Bettendorf-Pleasant Valley Youth Baseball is hosting a free umpire clinic from 6-8:30 p.m. Monday, April 22 at Saldivar Field at Devils Glen Park.

Local high school umpires are again the chief clinicians for the annual spring training session.

BPV’s youth umpire program boasts over 100 participants with the best trained and most experienced of the crew graduating in recent years into the high school officiating ranks themselves.

Clinic participants will be grouped together by age and experience levels so rookies, less experienced and more experienced umpires all can gain knowledge and further their training (or simply knock off the offseason rust).

Part of the clinic also addresses how the BPV operates and offers a team atmosphere for the umpire crew.

No advance registration is necessary. Coaches from every BPV division are welcome to attend to get a perspective on the training and learn how to best work with umpires.

However, if you or your child are interested in umpiring during the 2024 BPV season, please plan to attend — and send an email expressing interest (a simple questionnaire is attached to fill out and send back to add to the contact list).

In the event of inclement weather and the need to change plans, umpires will be contacted by email or text.

BPV games begin in some youth divisions the week of April 29. Clinic participants get first priority for the earliest games to put their training into action and receive support from available veterans.

Umpires are compensated for their work on a scale that depends on their game duties (plate or field) and division worked (with umpires moving up levels with experience gained).

The goals of the umpire program continue to be: A) schedule around the various other activities of youth umpires so kids can still play baseball & other sports; B) promote the best umpires to the highest levels locally to help address the on-going shortage of game officials everywhere & in every sport; C) offer a positive environment that demands accountability and gives youngsters a taste of the working world before that first true part-time job; D) be a ready reference for jobs, colleges and scholarship opportunities in the future.

For any questions, please contact Steve Tappa at 563-676-8111 or email tappasteve@gmail.com.

The document BPV_umpire_questionnaire.pdf was attached to this post.