With the warm start to April and the ground thawing quickly, ball players will be back on the fields in the area before we know it. Umpires are an integral part of any league and new ones are needed every year, from younger teens to adults who have enjoyed the sport for years.

Trent Lepine is a fixture on local diamonds and is the umpire-in-chief for the Central region. The long-time ump says it can be a rewarding experience. 

"It's so much fun. Especially for the kids. If they know the game of baseball, you can umpire. Actually, anybody can. Even if you don't know the game that well, you can also umpire. It's nice to get out in the sun, enjoy the game and have some good times. And of course, you get paid. I'll make the schedule and I usually send it out well in advance to make sure you are available. If you have something else on the go we can work with that. That's absolutely fine. The more, the better. 

There are plenty of stories on social media that showcase coaches, players and parents going overboard and taking their frustrations out on umpires, however, Lepine praises the people involved in the game in our area. While people can get competitive, he says the Portage region has not been a problem.

"I've always said Portage coaches and Portage parents are probably some of the best out there. I have had not one complaint since I took over from parents yelling at the umpires. They respect the young umpires. They know that many are new and they are here to learn, just like their kids are learning to play the game. If they do have problems, they can come to me. I usually just talk to the manager or the coach and say can you make sure this doesn't happen, you know, these kids are here learning just like everybody else. But I haven't had to do that in the last couple of years."

Lepine knows a new younger ump may be nervous when just starting out but adds they will be there to help as much as they can.

" I will be at the diamond so if we have a new level one, I will schedule it so I will be with them on the diamond. Probably the base ump and I'll make them do the plate. I'll teach them for a few games and then I'll be there but off the diamond, to watch. And then we go from there. They won't be alone for the first couple of games and other umps like to help mentor too.

For anyone interested in getting involved in the game, Level 1 and 2 clinics are scheduled for April 28th in Portage and there is one in MacGregor on the 13th and both will be led by Lepine. The is a complete list of clinics in the province on the Baseball Manitoba webpage.

trent lepineLepine has umped all across the country and is a fixture on the diamonds of the Central Plains every summer