Trainer Incorporates Fitness into Officials' Routines

When you think of an umpire, you don't normally think of fit world-class athletes. But umpires (and other sports officials) are getting more attention as far as fitness goes of late. Recently, one NCAA assigning association made it a requirement that every umpire run a mile and a half in a certain amount of time based on age in order to have games assigned to them this season.  Clearly the assigner was sending a message that he wanted his umpires to be in decent shape this season.

While not an entirely new concept as evidenced by MLB hiring of trainer Mark Letendre to become Director of Umpire Medical Services to look after the health and well being of umpires in 1999. Each year, MLB umpires have to pass a physical in order to be given the go to be able to calls balls and strikes and each time an injury, such as a concussion occurs, they are followed rigorously to insure they are officially fit to perform their duties.

While your league or association most certainly does not offer you an on-staff trainer, one certified personal trainer, Shane Livensparger, is setting out to change that one umpire at a time. Shane, who is also a Minor League umpire and EMT, established OfficiallyFit.net to help officials in all sports realize the importance of a regular fitness program in their routines. Shane says:

"As Sports Officials, you do not always have the luxury of spending hours at the gym. Amateur officials whom officiate as a second job have full time jobs and family commitments."

Officially Fit has programs that are available as software through their website to help sports officials "stay in the best physical shape possible without interfering and stealing too much time from the other commitments" through 3 key principles:

• Improved Physical Appearance and Performance
• Increased Metabolic Efficiency
• Decreased Risk of Sustaining an Injury

I would encourage you to visit their website for more information and sign up for their email newsletter. Their most recent one contained a very good pregame stretching video. Or I'm sure you could contact Shane directly. I have spoken to him on the phone about his services a few times, met him while at this year's Umps Care Charities and I like what he is doing. I can certainly vouch for his passion and understanding due to unique mix of his clinical background combined with his officiating experience.

I'm all for officials looking and feeling their best and staying safe whether it's in your apparel or gear or with your health. So in that sense, Shane and I are on the same crew.