 Protect the Game, in partnership withBattlefields2Ballfields and Officially Human, will be running a free baseball umpiretraining to military veterans and their family members on March 13-15 at Cactus Yardsin Gilbert, AZ. This training seminar coincides with Triple Crown’s Arizona Spring Championships, a youth baseball event bringing in over 630 teams to the area from March 2-26.
Veterans and their family members will go through a three-day training with experienced umpires and trainers. PTG will provide a starter kit of baseball/softball officiating equipment/uniform and will connect certified officials with umpire assignors for immediate earning opportunities. Following the training, officials will work games alongside a seasoned umpire during Triple Crown’s Spring Championships. Veterans who execute the training and certification process through PTG will be eligible for funding assistance from Battlefields2Ballfields. B2B was founded in 2017 by Mike Pereira, current rules analyst on FOX Sports broadcasts and longtime football official, who took inspiration from conversations he had with military veterans struggling to find a path in civilian life. Over time, B2B has established a scholarship fund to help veterans gain a foothold in the world of sports officiating. The dwindling number of qualified officials has hit crisis level, as youth and high school sporting events around the country are being altered, and at times canceled, due to the lack of officials. PTG believes military veterans have displayed the established skills and situational awareness to thrive as a sports official, finding a natural fit with the knowledge of rules and concepts of teamwork. Officially Human, which has a mission to restore respect to game officials and recognize them as authorities on the fields and courts, will also be attending the training sessions and Triple Crown’s Spring Championship event in order to spread the word about the decline in officials and how coaches and parents can help find a solution. If a military veteran and his/her family member(s) are interested in attending the free training please contact Jordan Cohen to sign up at Jordan@protectthegame.com or by filling out this form. About Protect the Game Protect the Game’s mission is to provide opportunities for U.S. military veterans to train and then be paid to work in youth sports and to build the numbers of qualified youth sports officials in America. Since its inception in 2019, PTG has certified 130 veterans around the country. About Officially Human Based in Lombard, IL., Officially Human was founded to restore respect to, and positive treatment of, sport officials through increased education and communication to all stakeholders (administrators, coaches, athletes, and fans.) Founded in 2019, Officially Human is the leader in addressing the growing crisis in officiating that touches every sport, official, and level of competition. For more information, visit OfficiallyHuman.com. About Battlefields2Ballfields Battlefields2Ballfields is a foundation designed to provide veterans an opportunity to integrate back into their communities through sports officiating. Founded in 2017 by current FOX Sports football rules analyst Mike Pereira, B2B provides scholarship assistance to servicemen and servicewomen who aspire to officiate football, men's and women's basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, track & field, among others. The foundation has awarded nearly 800 scholarships and has members in 38 of the United States. For more information, visit battlefields2ballfields.org. |
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