USA Cricket on Friday (30 October) launched its first-ever Umpiring Program and Pathway, outlining an overarching framework for the development of umpires within the USA, and appointed six Zonal Coordinators to assist in its delivery and implementation.
USA Cricket’s Foundational Plan, 2020-2023, which launched in October, identified the need to increase participation across all aspects of the sport as one of its key strategic objectives. In support of that objective, and as a priority action, USA Cricket has set out to; ‘design and deliver a pathway and related programs, education materials and certification to support all match officials in this country.’
Following a review of the existing landscape, the USA Cricket Board recently made the decision to take full ownership for supporting umpires across the USA. Having made that decision, the USA Cricket Umpiring Program and Pathway that has been launched today sets out details of a pathway of certification courses and support programs that USA Cricket will establish in due course from grassroots to international level umpiring, the creation of a USA Cricket Umpires Development Panel and a USA Cricket Umpires Elite Panel, guidelines for match appointment, performance monitoring tools, and an initial umpire registration and categorization process.
Chair of the Development Committee Venu Pisike said, “I would like to commend the hard work of many USA Cricket volunteers over the past 18 months to get us to this point today, where we are now able to launch the umpiring program and pathway for the entire community. It has been a revelation to see the amount of umpiring talent available in this country and this program will help identify the talents and provide the much needed umpiring structure for the bustling cricket community in America. In putting this together, we have spoken to many individuals and organizations, both here in the USA and around the World, and I’m pleased to say we have now completed a plan that is reflective of global best practice and best supports aspiring umpires of all abilities across the United States.”
“I’m excited by the opportunities and benefits that this program will provide in the form of identifying, supporting and upskilling our umpires and establishing a more consistent process for match appointments”, said USA Cricket Development Manager Jamie Lloyd. “USA Cricket knows we have a responsibility to the cricket community to ensure we are providing the tools to train and equip umpires for whatever level they aspire to. We recognize that umpires are integral to every cricket match at every level, and, as such, we see this program as vital to the overall development of the sport in this country.”
In conjunction with this launch, USA Cricket announced the appointment of six experienced and well-respected Volunteer Umpire Coordinators (VUC) that will assist in the development and implementation of the program around the country. The VUCs will report directly into the USA Cricket Development Manager, Jamie Lloyd, but will act as a first point of contact for anybody interested in getting involved in the program, or who have any questions about it.
USA Cricket anticipates finalizing the development of its own Level One Course within the next month and launching it soon after.
John Stephenson
john@cricketinvestor.co.uk
#CricketUSA #UmpirePathway #VUC
