While many kids will walk up to the plate at diamonds throughout Greater Victoria this summer, not as many will step behind one.

Triangle Baseball Association has several young umpires calling balls and strikes at their games this season, including Colwood youth Ryker de Ruiter.

After seeing there was a shortage of umpires for some games, de Ruiter, 12, decided to sign up for a certification course along with several of his baseball buddies.

Now on top of playing catcher or second base, heB次元官网网址檚 calling games. A highlight was calling his first balk B次元官网网址� when a pitcher tries to deceive the base runners by pretending to pitch B次元官网网址� and his mother, Kris, said heB次元官网网址檚 steadily grown more confident.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really good for kids to do. ItB次元官网网址檚 a really hard position, it teaches them leadership, authority and a little bit of compassion for that role when theyB次元官网网址檙e playing the game.B次元官网网址�

The idea of being an umpire, and opening yourself up to the abuse that often entails, may put some off, but de Ruiter said heB次元官网网址檚 been lucky so far.

B次元官网网址淚 havenB次元官网网址檛 really had anyone or seen anyone get too mad, or had anyone that looks like if itB次元官网网址檚 a bad call theyB次元官网网址檒l blow up,B次元官网网址� he said.

A parent is always on hand and Kris said having young umps can offer a teachable moment for parents on their behaviour in the stands, but can also teach the kids as well.

B次元官网网址淚f a parent were to ask if their kid should do it B次元官网网址� I especially think if your kid has a hard time accepting calls. So Ryker would often be frustrated if he thought it was a bad call against him or he got struck it out heB次元官网网址檇 have a really tough time letting it go. Once he became an ump this year that completely changed for him. I think seeing it from the other side and recognizing itB次元官网网址檚 just a decision and itB次元官网网址檚 not personal has really helped his game mentally and to understand the rules a lot better.B次元官网网址�

Ryker plans to stick with umping into the future.

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