Pacific Youth Association
Umpire Manual / Game Day SOP
Mandatory game day procedures, assignment expectations, reporting requirements, emergency standards, professionalism rules, and advancement guidelines for PYA umpires.
Operational Standard
These procedures are not suggestions. They are required operational standards for umpire assignments, payroll verification, safety, professionalism, and game accountability.
0. Assignment Management
Umpire professionalism begins before game day. Availability, assignment confirmation, and communication are required parts of the job.
- Availability blocks must be entered in TeamSideline three days before each pay period begins.
- Block = Busy / Unavailable.
- No block = Available and may be used for scheduling.
- Assignments are scheduled through TeamSideline by the UIC/scheduler for the pay period.
- Assignments must be accepted or declined within 24 hours.
- Failure to respond may result in automatic rejection, reassignment, and reduced scheduling priority.
- Umpires are responsible for checking TeamSideline regularly, even if push notifications or emails are delayed.
- Jim/UIC may send text reminders or urgent updates, but TeamSideline remains the official scheduling system.
- Last-minute emergencies must be communicated immediately to Jim/UIC.
- Repeated missed confirmations, missed availability deadlines, or late declines may impact reliability evaluations, scheduling priority, and advancement.
1. Pre-Game Arrival
Umpires must arrive prepared, properly dressed, and ready to begin game procedures before first pitch.
Arrival & Check-In
- Arrive 15–30 minutes before game time.
- Check in at the concession stand or with Jim/UIC, Jake, Emily, or an on-duty board member.
- Umpires are responsible for making their presence known.
Uniform
- Official umpire shirt
- Shirt tucked in
- Umpire hat worn forward
- Gray umpire pants
- Belt required
- Black shoes
- Clean, professional appearance
Required Gear
- Ball bag
- Indicator / clicker
- Plate brush
- Scorecard materials
- Protective gear when assigned plate
- Division-specific materials when required
Scorecard preparation should begin before the game and include known information such as date, field, division, teams, umpire names, and assignment role.
2. Plate Meeting & Ground Rules
The plate meeting sets the tone for the game. The plate umpire has final authority, with support from the field umpire, UIC, and board when needed.
- The home plate umpire is the crew chief and has final authority for rule interpretations, game management, official rulings, ground rules, and behavioral management.
- The plate umpire and field umpire should both participate in ground rules.
- Ground rules must be reviewed before first pitch.
- Sportsmanship expectations must be reviewed.
- Division-specific rule reminders must be reviewed.
- Time limits must be reviewed.
- Scorekeeper expectations must be reviewed.
Scorekeeper Standard
- The home scorekeeper is the official scorekeeper.
- Umpires must verify score with the home scorekeeper, visiting scorekeeper, plate umpire record, and field umpire when needed.
- Scores should be checked every half inning.
4. Postgame Procedures
Postgame reporting and umpire card submission are mandatory after every assignment.
Digital Postgame Report
- Required after every game.
- Complete immediately after assignment.
- Include attendance confirmation.
- Enter final score.
- Document incidents, ejections, injuries, warnings, disputes, sportsmanship issues, field concerns, and general game notes.
Physical Umpire Card
- Required after every game.
- Used for payroll verification.
- Must include umpire name, date, division, field, role, and game details.
- Submit to the black mail safe/drop box inside the concession stand.
Mandatory Requirement
Digital postgame reports do not replace physical umpire cards. Physical umpire cards do not replace digital postgame reports. Both are required.
5. Mandatory Compliance & Pay Holds
- No digital postgame report = no pay until resolved.
- No physical umpire card = no pay until resolved.
- Missing both is a major compliance issue.
- Missing reports or cards may result in delayed payment, reduced scheduling trust, reliability concerns, and disciplinary review.
- Late arrivals, improper uniform, missed confirmations, missed availability deadlines, and no-shows may impact future assignments.
Level 1
Coaching, documented verbal warning, correction, or retraining.
Level 2
Written warning, reduced assignments, or scheduling priority reduction.
Level 3
Suspension, assignment restriction, UIC/board review, or formal probation if approved.
Level 4
Removal from scheduling or termination from the umpire program.