TESTIMONIALS
Read what umpires who have attended the CBUA/Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinics have to say about their experience. Learn why we are considered one of the best clinics in the country.
Prior to attending the Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic, I spent a couple of years in the minor leagues and had been out of the game and umpiring for 10+ years. I went to the clinic to get a job in Division 1 baseball. Heading into the camp my mindset was just go to the camp, pay my money, be quiet and get a job in college baseball. I was like most guys before they go to the camp, I saw it as a requirement more than an experience. What I got was an experience.
The Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic is the best camp I have ever attended. The staff had every detail planned out to maximize the experience. The camp business is great when the weather cooperates. The year I attended we never saw the field one time. Rain forced the entire camp inside, and the itinerary was shot. The instructors could have packed it in and went through the motions because of the weather, but they didn’t. The instructors (the majority of them are still coming each year) went out of their way to make sure one camper didn’t leave without getting the best experience possible. There were no egos, no war stories that drained the entire day of learning and no wasted sessions. What the camp gave to me and my peers was the best knowledge I have ever spent money on. The instructors wanted campers to succeed. They cared about my goals and helped with my plan to achieve those goals.
I am a better person and umpire because of the clinic. I believe in the camp so much I went back to help a couple of years after and have been helping ever since.
Chris and his staff have impacted more careers than they will ever admit to. They are humble men that care about umpires and people. Chris will never come out and say this, but I will say it for him. You cannot find a better camp, clinicians and people anywhere in college baseball.
I attended Chris’ clinic in twice. This clinic help me get my start into college umpiring. I was hired into the Missouri Valley conference out of this clinic. I owe what I have become as an umpire to the clinicians, the clinic itself and Chris himself. This clinic provides young umpires a chance not only learn and improve but a chance to reach their umpiring goals.
The Mid America Advanced Umpire Clinic has been very beneficial to me as an umpire over the years. Pay attention to details. Know the rules. Know the Mechanics. Each one of these talking points puts each umpire in a position to be successful at what ever level of umpiring you are at in ones carrier. The instructors know the rules, teach you the details to pay attention to and they know the Mechanics. I recommend this camp for all umpires.
When I got out of professional baseball, I took some time off from umpiring because I was a bit burned out and did not have much desire to get on a baseball field.
In time the desire came back and I got in touch with some local college umpires in the Kansas City area looking for information about who I could contact. I was put in touch with the right people and worked small college for a couple of years when I was encouraged by an assignor to pursue working D1 baseball.
I informed him I had no idea how to go about obtaining the different skills or getting in front of the correct people to be able to work D1 baseball. That’s when I was informed about The Mid American Advanced Clinic.
At the Springfield camp what was presented was instruction as good as I received at umpire school taught in a more relaxed setting with instructors who treated you as if you would be their partners the next spring not some untouchable all-knowing being that you were lucky to be around.
I was taught the differences between working professional and D1 college baseball, the latest changes and theories on mechanics and what changes I personally needed to make on the field to be looked at as a quality college baseball umpire.
I would recommend anyone wanting to work college baseball to do whatever it took to get to The Advanced Camp. If you make the investment in yourself the staff will make sure it pays off.
The Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinics offer an opportunity to work on you. The challenge of game management is one of many topics addressed at the Mid-Am Clinics. Chris brings in some of the top College Baseball umpires in the nation, who share their perspectives and philosophies through valuable breakout sessions. It was through the 4-Man Advanced Clinic that I was hired for three Division 1 Conferences. The breakout sessions really helped me make valuable adjustments to my perspectives and approaches towards Umpiring. You can be sure that the Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinics provide valuable tools to help you succeed as a College Baseball umpire
I attended the Mid-American Advanced Umpire Clinic in hopes of learning from the best instructors college baseball has to offer.
The clinic curriculum you offer is incredible. Each station in the clinic brings fresh and new information.
I have received my first Division 1 conference assignments this year. You told me a while ago, there are no free gifts in college baseball. I know I earned it. Your clinic has given me a lot of great skills to add to my game.
Thank you for all you do to better the umpires in college baseball.
I attended the Mid-American Advanced 3-Man Umpire Clinic three times and it was very instrumental in my development and set me on my path to advancement in NCAA Division I college baseball. I was able to learn from and work games in front of some of the most high profile leaders in NCAA college baseball from a national perspective. The individualized attention and instruction provided to me is second to none.
After I attended, I was provided with an opportunity to achieve some of my bucket list goals of umpiring in the B1G, advance to the NCAA DII National Championship in Cary, NC and ultimately to a series of NCAA DI conference tournaments in the Horizon and Summit Leagues, along with three consecutive NCAA DI Regionals.
I am forever grateful for the experience that Chris Coskey and his staff of instructors provided to me at a formative time in my umpiring career at the Mid-American Advanced 3-Man Umpire Clinic and I was humbled to be invited to give back and help out as an instructor.
I wanted to take just a second to express my gratitude that I have for the work that Chris and his staff do at the Mis American Advanced Umpire Clinic. If I had to pick 1 word it would be WOW! In 30 years of umpiring and 20 years at the NCAA level I have never been to a camp with so many instructors at such a high level. I have never been to a camp where not only do you have D1 World Series umpires but you also have many Coordinators from different leagues. There was no part of the game of baseball that wasn’t covered. I was very fortunate to be picked up in a D1 Conference when I came out of this camp. I have been to many camps and this one can help no matter how long or short of a time you have been umpiring. I highly recommend this camp. One day my goal is to be able and come back and instruct with the rest of the guys and give back like they do. The brotherhood of umpiring is strong in Springfield and all umpires should take advantage of what they are offering. I know I sure am glad I did.
After taking a brief break from Division 1 baseball I decided to attempt to come back, when I made this decision I contacted the Mid-America Advanced umpire clinic and enrolled. Through the instruction and leadership of the staff I was able to get in front of multiple D1 conference umpires and learn how to apply rules, mechanics, and philosophies that have helped me become a successful D1 umpire. I now work in 3 D1 conferences and have had the privilege of working post season tournament and NCAA post season. If you are looking to improve your skills as a umpire at any level of college baseball I highly recommend the Mid-America Advanced Umpire Clinic.
I just wanted to express my gratitude to the staff for an absolutely great clinic. I learned a ton and the evaluations were very helpful. The staff was professional, demanding and very approachable.
It was great to be observed and evaluated by such seasoned and experienced umpires. You honestly cannot put a price on that. The clinic gave me the confidence to move on to the next level and I appreciate that.
It was my pleasure to have met you guys, I'm glad I invested in attending your camp. I was able to come away with new things to add to my toolbox. I'm looking forward to your Four Man Camp next year. Also I'm respectfully requesting you put in a good word to Mr. Fetchiet on my behave in the hopes that I may work for him with his East Coast Conferences in a non-conference status and later get into his Conference Staff. Once again thank you for allowing me into your camp. Great job putting it together.
I just wanted to reach out and say thank you. I really enjoyed the weekend and my time at the camp. The instructors were great and I loved my evaluators. Thank you for everything you and the others do.
Thank you for an excellent opportunity to improve. In the past couple of days I've picked up a few D1 fall games and will be positioned very well for another camp this weekend in KC. I am grateful to all the instructors and all of your additional efforts to give back. I'm excited for all of the possibilities and reward umpiring has provided.
Hey Chris, I just wanted to drop you a quick note of thanks. I've been given my first D1 assignments for the spring in large part due to the instruction and feedback I received at the Mid-American Advanced camp. A local Non-Con assigner saw my work and improvement at 3-man mechanics and gave me some games. This has been a huge goal for me and I'm truly thankful for your willingness to help others get better.