7 softball umpires earn WBSC Certification in Saronno, Italy, during the Women's Softball European Premier Cup

From August 17th - 24th the WBSC Umpire Certification Seminar was held in Saronno, Italy, during the Women's Softball European Premier Cup.

After the classroom work dedicated to the 4-Umpire System and the expectations of WBSC of their umpires and after passing the fitness test the participants were evaluated during the Women‘s European Premiere Cup.

After the seminar 7 new WBSC-certified umpires were announced: Gregorio Carletti (ITA), Denis Codarini (ITA), Audrey Desmarteaux-Houlé (CAN), Britt Nieland (BEL), Ibon Lafuente (ESP), Vojtech Machovski (CZE) and Jan Svatos (CZE).

All of these are now eligible for nominations to work World Championships in the coming years.

Scott McLaren (WBSC instructor from Canada) was very happy with the development of the participants: "We confronted the umpires with a different level of umpiring and the improvement we have seen during the week showed the capacities. If they will continue working with the tools we gave them, they will succeed in World Championships."

Raoul Machalet, WBSC Europe Deputy Director of Umpires in charge of education and the second clinician added: "We stretched their minds with different approaches to umpiring. If they carry what they learned with them it will payoff for all of them in their umpiring career, despite the license they acquired during the seminar. All of the participants will be a great source for their national umpire program."

Cover Photo by Laura Massarenti