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Welcome to the 2012
Black & Blue Umpires Camps
A Note From the President's Desk:

To my fellow umpires, alumni and potential campers:

I want to take a moment and thank you for checking out our website and your interest in the Black & Blue Umpire Camps. We are the premier amateur umpire training program in the country! Our training is reaching campers throughout the Western United States and looks to grow nationwide as our program looks to help launch your careers or take them to where you want them to be at the highest amateur level. If you are serious about your umpiring, I hope you do your research on your training options carefully and feel free to contact us if you have any questions about umpiring or umpiring training. Whether you are aspiring to umpire at the D-1 level or just want to improve your skills at whatever amateur level you are at, our program is designed for you.

I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment and look back on "The Inaugural Black & Blue Umpire Camp 2010". The camp was held November 3 - 7 in Sacramento, CA and had an incredible turnout of 97 umpires from Hawaii to Utah and everywhere in between.

The Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza was our home away from home during our stay and they did a tremendous job making each one of us feel comfortable and at home. Daily classroom sessions were conducted there and our "1st Annual BBUC Appreciate Dinner" was held there as well. Daily instruction was conducted at Sacramento State , UC Davis and McAuliffe sports complexes. The success of the first Black & Blue Camp wouldn't have been successful without the love and support from all those who helped plan, support, organize and participate in it. We had an awesome time getting to know all of the great umpires in attendance and look forward to having each of them back in 2011.

The 2012 Black & Blue Umpire Camps paid tuition will once again include accommodations at The Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza (double and single occupancy available). In addition, parking, lunch, BBUC t-shirts and digital photos will be included as part of your tuition fee. Our Appreciation Dinner will take place on Saturday, January 21 during BBUC III and is covered as part of the tuition for BBUC III. Campers from BBUC II and any guests are welcome to attend but a separate fee will apply.

Our program is designed to accommodate campers at every experience level and from anywhere in the world. In 2012, we will be conducting two camps (BBUC II and BBUC III) to offer each camper the opportunity to experience training at different levels with different mechanics. Black & Blue Umpire Camps will be from January 13 - January 22. BBUC II will run from January 13 - January 16 and will be designed for those campers looking to better there skill level of the 2-Man System. BBUC III will run from January 18 - January 22 and will be for those campers looking to get advanced training on the 3-Man System. Both camps will employ comprehensive training methods designed to instruct and evaluate each camper in every area of umpiring. Both camps will put you, the camper, through drills repeatedly in order to emphasize the proper positioning and mechanics through this repetition. Both camps will put campers through the cages repeatedly in order to help develop consistent and accurate strike zones. Both camps will put campers through control game drills that will help simulate specific plays and situations that will face each camper during a real game. Both camps will be utilizing video for cage work, which will be recorded for each camper to take with them as a learning tool to see their work and to make improvements on the instruction they have received.

I personally take responsibility for your training while you are in our program. Your instruction will start each day in the classroom where you will experience daily lectures on mechanics, positioning, rules and game management, so you can implement these responsibilities on the baseball field. Each topic will start out as a lecture in the classroom, demonstrated on the field, drilled, then put into practice in game-like situations. I have secured one of the finest umpire training facilities available in Sacramento, CA. You will be training at the beautiful Mather Sports Complex in Rancho Cordova, CA. Mather Sports Complex hosts several major travel ball and summer league events year round. This complex consist of three, all purpose turf fields and one natural grass field. This ideal location will ensure plenty of room for all of our instruction and make sure each and every camper works their way around to each station during the camps.

In addition to my personal commitment to instruct you, you will be working with one of the finest instruction staffs assembled in amateur umpiring. Our staff is comprised of umpires from every level of umpiring, from professional baseball to major college baseball, to the best section high school umpires as well as the brightest trainers from the Little League ranks. This staff can offer each and every camper the experience and instruction that no other camp can provide. This fine group of instructors possess exceptional communication skills and know exactly what is required to be successful at the amateur umpiring level. This will be an experience like no other camp/clinic you have ever experienced.

In closing, I want to thank each and everyone of you for your time and interest in the Black & Blue Umpire Camps. I thank you for taking the time to explore what our program has to offer you and we look forward to providing you with an amazing experience at the Black & Blue Umpire Camps. I would encourage you to continue to check out our website for I think that you are going to discover that our training program will exceed all of your umpiring expectations. If there is anything that I or my staff can help you with , please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Billy Haze