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An inaugural BASU one-day Fastpitch Umpire Course was run on Sunday 8 May at the Heston Venue, formerly the British Airways Concorde Club, in Cranford near Heathrow Airport.  The course was well-attended, with 12 participants who had wide-ranging experience as coaches, players and umpires, with backgrounds in fastpitch, slowpitch, and baseball.

The morning session, delivered by ISF-qualified BASU umpires Bridget Cameron and Jana McCaskill, was classroom-based and concentrated on basic rule theory and the differences between fastpitch and slowpitch rules.

The afternoon session moved out of the classroom and into the sunshine to learn the practical side of fastpitch umpiring.  Course participants donned protective equipment to practice their plate umpire stance and mechanics.  Further training was provided on plate and base umpire movements and positioning on the diamond.

Participants who are interested in becoming BASU-qualified fastpitch umpires will now gain experience and undertake practical game assessment through the remainder of the 2016 Great Britain Fastpitch League season, with on-field feedback and mentoring available from ESF and ISF-qualified umpires.

BASU now has the capacity to run future fastpitch umpiring courses, including courses on rules knowledge for coaches and players and an Advanced Umpiring course.

Please get in touch with BASU Fastpitch Officer Bridget Cameron (bridgetcam@gmail.com) to register your interest in attending or hosting one of these courses.