The Muskoka Hornets Baseball program is always looking for additional qualified umpires, both from the junior and adult ranks.

To umpire in the Hornets program, you must complete level one certification at a Baseball Ontario umpire clinic.  The Muskoka Hornets their own clinic annually.  The 2025 Clinic is April 13.

Umpires are also required to complete 6 short, on-line modules to learn the rules of the game and the basics of umpiring.

For information on registering for our clinic or any other Baseball Ontario umpire clinic, please go to https://www.playoba.ca/2023-umpire-certification.

To learn more about being a Hornets umpire, please contact our Umpire in Chief, Helen Payne at thewaterlady2012@gmail.com

I began umpiring almost 30 years ago and started with Men’s Fastball then did Slo Pitch, Fastball, 2 Pitch tournaments and amassed literally thousands of games over the years.

In 2010 or so I joined the Muskoka Hornets and turned my attention to only umpiring Hardball and I’ve enjoyed this more than any of the other games and more than any of the many years and countless games.

To say I learn something every game is simply a fact … but unfortunately much of what I learn is often about family dynamics and often adult/child scenarios.

I wish some of the parents who like to yell and scream non stop at their child and the others on the team (and often the children on the opposite team) could hear what I hear on the field.  I cannot count how many times I have heard these types of things from players anywhere from 5 to 17 years old during a game …

"I wish mom would quit yelling … I hate it when she yells …  it’s embarrassing …"

"How come dad won’t say he’s proud of me … all I hear about is what I do wrong…"

"Can you make my mom/Dad/grandpa/grandma sit in the parking lot?"

"Please don’t listen to my (insert name) … they don’t mean it"

"Can you throw me out of the game so I don’t have to play anymore … "

"I’m sorry my dad is being such a jerk …"

"I hate when he/she comes to my games"

"I hate baseball… I never wanted to play but (insert name) said I had to cause they didn’t get to play when they were my age"

"Do you think I’m a good player? "

"Can you come to all my games you are so nice???"

"Do some people have fun when they play ball?"

I cannot express to you how it tears me up inside when I hear these things ?  I wish that I would never hear them again but sadly; I know that I will.

The reality is that the kids are taught at practise the skills of the game… and when it’s game time they are “excited” and often “nervous”.  It is overwhelming for me to hear all the instructions coming from the benches and I know that by about the 10 minute mark of the first inning almost without exception the kids are no longer ‘hearing’ you… 

Do you really think any player doesn’t know when they make a mistake or miss a ball?  Kids are hard on themselves and when others yell at them .. it HURTS them… it really does.  I am tired of hearing kids mutter under their breath that they want to “quit” and they “hate ball”.  The fact is … they don’t hate the game or want to quit… but they do want the negativity to stop.

Do you not remember growing up and looking up to your coaches and teachers…  that’s a hard thing to achieve if on the way to and from the diamond each time the coaches/managers/ umpires are eaten alive verbally by whoever ?  THINK about it please ??

I always applaud and verbally speak to the positive parents/ coaches and teams that I encounter.  Believe me you can feel the difference on the field when everyone is positive and just having fun… isn’t that what baseball is supposed to be … “Fun?”

It’s a game mom and dad…. Coach, manager… it’s a game.  It’s a wonderful game … and I love it more than most.  But what I don’t love is trying to block out the negativity and if you watch me umpire (especially the younger players) you’ll notice I speak to them a lot…  99% of what I say is encouraging them and trying to help them enjoy their day .. and often in spite of the one/s who brought them to the game.

Baseball teaches us many things about life…  how to be part of a team; how to get better at something, how to have fun in the sun and the rain.  It should not teach us that “on the way home we are going to hear about everything that everyone including the umpires did wrong.”

Think about it folks…  and let’s have fun at the Diamonds.   I promise if you are more positive with your child … your team.. your manager… coach/s  … it will just be better all the way around.

Helen

Hornets UIC

For many years I tried to fit in a hitting contest to one of the Muskoka Cups but it never seemed to work out, with trying to schedule so many games in a short window and tournament schedules often complicated by time delays due to weather etc.

This year, at our first ever Fall Season Wrap Up Awards Dinner and BBQ at beautiful Kerr Park in Bracebridge,  we finally were able to see who was the best group of hitters - the Hornets umps or the coaches.

The chart attached to this article reflects the cumulative distances hit by Umpires and Coaches and also the longest single hits. 

In front of as many as 100 spectators, Chris Wilson won the award for the single longest hit after I begged him to take part as an “other category” participant despite the fact the coaches felt that Chris belonged on their team as a past coach in our program.  Coaches Corey and Dave tied for the 2nd longest hit and Doug Holland the Umpire came in third for longest hit… Mark Legault and Mark Holm tied for 4th longest hit.

I’d be remiss if I did not mention that the top two cumulative hitters were Mark and Lucas Holm … two great ambassadors for the Hornets program as both ball players and umpires…

Local baseball legend Stan “Ziggy” Rimmington was our only "Senior Participant", and he got a bat on every pitch…  congrats Stan !

It was so much fun to watch umpires and coaches take their swings.  While I am not biased at all - lol, I would have to conclude that the Umpires won the first ever hitting challenge.  We look forward to making this an annual must see event.

Thanks to all for participating and it really was fun !  For the record I don’t think we broke any windows of the house to our left but did lose a few balls in the rough there.

Go Hornets !

Helen

UIC and MC