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Camp Directors
Rich Fetchiet
Rich retired from active umpiring after the 2000 season. Prior to
that he umpired for 30 years, including 24 at the collegiate level. He
umpired primarily in the Big Ten, Mid-American, Conference USA, Big
East, and Midwestern Collegiate Conferences. He worked numerous post
season tournaments for each of those conferences. Rich also worked NCAA
Division I Regional Tournaments, Super Regional Tournaments, and three
College World Series, serving as plate umpire for the 1999 National
Championship Game. He has umpired internationally in the Pan Am Games,
World Qualifying Tournament, Intercontinental Cup, World Championships,
the Cuba/Baltimore Orioles Friendship Series, and the Olympic Games. In
1997 the International Baseball Association named him “Umpire of the
Year.” Rich has served as Secretary-Editor to the NCAA’s Baseball Rules
Committee and is currently on the NCAA National Umpire Program Advisory
Committee. He was a founding member of the ABUA and has served on the
ABUA Board of Directors. He has served as an adjunct lecturer in the
officiating courses at the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan
University. Rich is currently Supervisor of Baseball Umpires for Big Ten
Conference, Big Twelve Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American
Conference, Horizon League, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference, Great Lakes Valley Conference, North Coast Athletic
Conference, Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Mid-Central
Collegiate Conference, the Collegiate Baseball Umpires Alliance and is
Co-Supervisor of the Big East Conference. Rich has also officiated
football for 30 years, including 22 in college football, and was on the
staff of the Mid-American Conference for thirteen seasons.
Dick Runchey
Dick may be the most respected umpire in the world among college and
international baseball umpires, coaches, and administrators. Dick
attended Somers Umpire School and worked in the minor leagues, while
also instructing at the school. After his stint in the minor leagues, he
had what most would consider a premier collegiate umpiring career,
working in the Big Ten and Mid-American Conferences. During his 20+
seasons in college baseball he worked countless Big Ten and Mid-American
Conference Tournaments, 19 NCAA Division I Regional Tournaments, and
five College World Series. He was selected to work the plate in four
different NCAA College World Series National Championship Games. In 2002
Dick was inducted into the Amateur Baseball Umpires Association (ABUA)
Hall of Fame. He is currently Executive Director of the ABUA. Throughout
his time in college baseball, Dick also gained international respect and
prominence and was assigned to work the USA/Japan series, Pan American
Games, World Championships, and Olympic Games. He has served as a
Regional Evaluator for the NCAA Umpire Program, Umpire Evaluator for the
Collegiate Baseball Umpires Alliance, and President of the Amateur
Baseball Umpires Association. In 2007 he was named as one of three
Regional Advisors for the NCAA National Umpire Program. Dick is in
constant demand as a clinician and has taught at umpire camps throughout
the United States and in many foreign countries. Dick is currently
Director of Umpires for the International Baseball Federation. He
selects, supervises, and oversees the training and evaluation of umpires
at all senior and junior level international tournaments throughout the
world. Dick also worked as a substitute umpire in professional baseball
on numerous occasions, not the least of which was the 1984 American
League Playoffs.
Camp Staff
Mike Bess
Mike began umpiring at the age of 15. In 1972 he attended Umpire Development Program School and was assigned to the New York Penn League where he worked for two seasons. Before accepting coaching positions at Kellogg Community College and Battle Creek St. Phillip High School he umpired in the Big Ten, Mid-American, and Midwestern Cities Conferences. Mike has worked numerous JUCO and NAIA post season tournaments. While coaching at St. Phillip Mike set coaching records for the most single season and career wins and sent over 20 players into college baseball. Mike has umpired 30 Stan Musial World Series, nine Connie Mack Work Series, four Mickey Mantle World Series, and the USA Junior National Team Selection Tournament. He is now coaching baseball at East Lansing High School. He also officiates high school football, basketball, and volleyball.
Chad Bocian
This is Chad’s seventh year as an instructor. For the past eight seasons Chad has worked all levels of college baseball, primarily in the GLIAC, MIAA, WHAC, and MCCAA conferences. In 2006 through 2008 he umpired the NJCAA Regional Tournament, the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament, and was added to the staff of the Frontier League in 2008. He also officiates high school and college football, working in the MIAA and Pioneer collegiate conferences, as well as high school and collegiate (MCCAA, MIAA) women’s basketball. Chad worked the 2005 baseball, 2006 football, and 2007 basketball state finals. Also, he serves as an instructor for officiating courses at Aquinas College and as an Umpire Assignor for summer baseball leagues in west Michigan through the Great Lakes Umpire Alliance.
Dave Buck
Dave is in his 27th year of umpiring. He attended the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in 1984 and was chosen as the school’s outstanding student. Dave worked the next eleven years in the minor leagues, including four years at the AAA level. He has been umpiring college baseball since 1995, and currently works in the Big Ten, Conference USA, the Big East and the Mid-American Conferences. His post season assignments include two Division III Regional Tournaments, one Big Ten Conference Tournament, one Conference USA Tournament, one Big East Conference Tournament, six Mid-American Conference Tournaments, eleven Division I Regional Tournaments, and eight Division I Super Regional Tournaments. Dave was chosen for and worked the Division I College World Series in 2004 and 2007. He also umpired the 2007 World Cup and 2008 Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in Taiwan. In addition to umpiring, Dave officiates high school and small college basketball, and is actively involved with fundraising in the fight against cystic fibrosis, a disease affecting his oldest daughter, Hannah.
Mike Conlin
Mike has been umpiring for 33 years, working at the NCAA Division I level since 1984. Mike currently works in the Big Ten Conference, Conference USA, Big East Conference and the Mid-American Conference. Mike has been selected to work 15 Division I conference tournaments, working in the Big Ten, Mid-American and Conference USA. Mike has umpired 11 NCAA Division I Regional Tournaments, eight Super Regional Tournaments, and the College World Series in 2005 and 2008. He has served on the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee since 2007. Mike also worked Division I basketball for 19 years, currently works Division I football and was the only official in the country to work all three sports at the Division I level from 2000-2008. Mike retired from college basketball at the end of the 2008 season to become Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officials for the Horizon League. Mike also coordinates basketball officials for the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference and Michigan Community College Athletic Association. Mike continues to officiate football in the Mid-American Conference, moving to the Referee position in 2009 after nine years as a Side Judge. Mike was selected to work the New Mexico Bowl this past season and worked the MAC Championship Game in 2005 and 2008.
Perry Costello
Perry began umpiring at the Little League level 36 years ago. He worked high school and small college baseball until becoming a professional umpire. He spent 11 years umpiring professionally and worked many league championship assignments, including two Minor League World Series. Perry also worked two years in the Dominican Winter League. Since returning to college baseball, Perry has worked in the Big Ten, Midwest Collegiate, Mid-American, Big East, Southeastern, Conference USA, Summit, GLIAC, MIAA and WHAC conferences. Perry was also involved with the AABC and the Frontier League. He worked numerous conference and league tournaments, as well as NCAA Division I Regional and Super Regional tournaments. He has umpired four Division I College World Series and was selected to work the plate in the final game in 2009. Perry has umpired internationally in the 1999 Winnipeg Pan-American Games and was assigned to umpire the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. He has also been a Division I basketball official for 18 years, working 4 NAIA National Finals and a Division II Final tournament, along with numerous Division I and II conference tournaments.
Mark Ditsworth
Mark has been umpiring for 31 years. He has umpired all levels of amateur baseball and has served as the Umpire-In-Chief for the MHSAA State Baseball Finals since 1993. Mark has been working college baseball since 1987 and has umpired fifteen conference tournaments for the Big Ten and Mid-American Conferences. He is currently on the staffs of the Big Ten, Big East, Atlantic Ten and Mid-American Conferences. Mark has been assigned to ten NCAA Division I Regional Tournaments, six Super Regional Tournaments, and worked the 2007 Division I College World Series. In 2007 Mark umpired the Connie Mack World Series and in 2008 he will work the East-West High School All-Star Game at Comerica Park. He also has international umpire experience, having worked the first-ever World Cup of Women’s Baseball in 2004 in Edmonton, Canada and the 2007 World Cup in Taiwan. Mark also officiates NCAA Division II, III, JC, NAIA and high school basketball.
Bruce Doane Jr.
Bruce has been umpiring for 36 years and was instrumental in creating this camp along with his father, the late Bruce Doane Sr., for whom this camp is named. Bruce attended Kinnamon, Wendelstedt, and Brinkman Umpire Schools and has worked at all levels of amateur baseball and independent league baseball. He has umpired high school baseball in Michigan and Georgia and worked the Georgia High School State Championship. Bruce umpires primarily in the Big Ten, Mid-American and Big East Conferences and has worked seven conference tournaments. He has also umpired post season at the JUCO and NAIA levels, including working four NAIA World Series. Bruce has umpired in the Frontier League for fifteen years. He serves as Supervisor of Umpires for the JUCO and NAIA schools served by the Collegiate Baseball Umpires Alliance.
Mike Duffy
Mike has been umpiring for over 20 years. He currently works independent league baseball and college baseball primarily in the Big Ten, Mid-American, and Big East Conferences. He has umpired post season tournaments for the Big Ten, Mid-American, Big East and Midwestern Collegiate Conferences and has worked four NCAA Division I Regional Tournaments. Mike has also worked NCAA Division II, III, and JUCO Regional Tournaments. Mike has umpired three high school State Championships and currently works high school football. He retired recently after a long career as a high school basketball official.
Sal Giacomantonio
Sal has been umpiring for 19 years and attended The Academy of Professional Umpiring in 2000. He has umpired at all levels of college baseball and now works primarily at the Division I level in the Mid-American Conference. His post season experience includes two D-I Conference Tournaments (MAC – 2008 & Horizon – 2006), numerous Division II Regionals and last year worked the NCAA D-II World Series. Sal works International Baseball as well and umpired the 2008 AAA World Championships in Edmonton, Canada. He also works independent professional baseball for both the Frontier and Northern Leagues. Sal is a three-time graduate of this camp.
Jim Jackson
Jim has been umpiring for 30 years, spending the last 24 years working college baseball. He works primarily in the Big Ten and Big East Conferences and has umpired seven Big Ten Conference Tournaments and four Missouri Valley Conference Tournaments. Jim has been selected eleven times for Division I Regional Tournaments, as well as seven Super Regional Tournaments. He also umpired the 2002 Division III World Series and numerous Division III and NAIA Regionals, as well as 15 high school Regionals and Sectionals in Indiana. Jim works summers in the Frontier League. In 2005 Jim worked the 36th World Cup of Baseball in the Netherlands and in 2008 umpired the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Taiwan. Jim also officiates high school basketball and has been an Indiana State Police Officer for 29 years, currently serving as a Sergeant.
Kyle McNeely
Kyle is the Chair of the National Federation of High School Associations National Baseball Rules Committee. Kyle has been umpiring for over 20 years. He has worked all levels of college baseball and has umpired post season in conference tournaments, as well as JUCO, NAIA and Division III Regional Tournaments. Kyle is a Brinkman Umpire School graduate and has experience working in the Frontier League. He has experience with international umpiring, as he worked his first international competition in Taiwan in 2004 as USA Baseball’s representative and served as a lead instructor for the Italian Umpires Clinic held in Florida. He has an extensive high school baseball background and has worked four Ohio State Championships. Kyle is considered by many to be one of the foremost high school rules experts and is a highly sought after clinician. He has instructed at eight state high school rules meetings, is currently state rules interpreter for Ohio, serves at the high school baseball rules and umpire mechanics advisor to the National Federation High School Rules Committee, and is the baseball rules historian for the NFHS. He has developed over 45 sets of rules and mechanics presentations and twice spoke at the NFHS National Convention. He has developed rules tests, videos, mechanics manuals, and other teaching materials that are used across the country. He has been recognized by the NFIOA and the NFHS with the Outstanding Service Award and the Outstanding High School Baseball Umpire Award in Texas and Ohio. Kyle was inducted into the Ohio High School Athletic Association Official’s Hall of Fame in 2007. Kyle also officiates Division III and high school football and has officiated one Ohio High School Football Championship.
Steve Miller
Steve umpired high baseball for 15 years and has worked 11 years at the college level. He works primarily in the MIAA, WHAC, GLIAC, and MCCAA conferences. Steve has worked the NJCAA Regional Tournament since 2006 and umpired the NAIA Regional in 2007. He also umpired the 2006 MHSAA State Finals. Steve also officiates high school football and basketball.
David Riley
David attended the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in 1997. He worked professionally for nine years, including stints in the New York - Penn League, Midwest League, Florida State League, Eastern League and International League. He also worked the Arizona and Florida Instructional Leagues in 1997 and 1998. David's post-season professional assignments included league championship series in the New - York Penn League, Florida State League, Eastern League and International League. He umpired the Futures Game in Milwaukee in 2002 and in the Dominican Winter League in 2003 - 04. David has been umpiring college baseball since 2007, and currently is on the umpire staff for the Missouri Valley, Big Ten, Mid-American and Atlantic 10 conferences. He worked the Missouri Valley Conference tournament in 2009. In addition to serving on our staff, David is the Coordinator of Instruction for the Mike Walsh Memorial Umpire Clinic in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Dan Rypma
Dan has been umpiring for over 20 years. He attended Brinkman Umpire School in 1986 and Evans Umpire Academy in 1991. Dan has worked Division I baseball and NAIA and JUCO Tournaments. He continues to work high school baseball and umpired the 2004 MHSAA State Finals. He was selected as the Crew Chief for the MHSBCA 2008 East-West High School All Star Game played at Comerica Park. Dan also officiates junior college and high school basketball and worked the high school basketball State Championship in 2003, 2007 and 2008. Dan has instructed in sports officiating classes for over ten years and currently teaches in the Health, Physical Education Department at Muskegon Community College.
Nate Thompson
Nate has been umpiring professional baseball for the last three seasons. This past season he worked the Midwest League, including the 2008 Midwest League All Star Game. He was promoted mid-season to the California League, where he was selected to work both the League Playoffs and Championship Game. He was an honor graduate at Jim Evans Academy in 2006. He worked his first two seasons in professional baseball in the Arizona League and the New York Penn League. He umpired the Arizona League Championship in 2006 and in 2007 he worked the New York Penn League All Star Game, First Round of the Playoffs and the Championship Series. He also officiates high school basketball.
Dave Uyl
This will be David’s 11th season in minor league baseball. David attended the Evans Umpire Academy in 2000 and later instructed for two years for Jim Evans. He has worked in the Gulf Coast, Pioneer, Midwest, California, Eastern and International Leagues. David served as a crew chief in the Eastern League, worked the plate in the league’s 2005 All-Star Game and worked the Eastern League Championship Series. He was invited to work in the Arizona Fall League in 2007 and 2008. He worked MLB Spring Training in Arizona in 2009 and will do so again in 2010. David has worked the past four seasons in the AAA International League and the 2010 season will be his third as a crew chief. He worked the championship series in 2009 and will also be the plate umpire in the 2010 AAA All-Star Game. David currently officiates high school basketball. He previously worked high school and college football in the MIAA. David played football and baseball at Hope College and currently resides in Chicago with his wife and son.
Mark Uyl
Mark has been umpiring for 17 years and currently works in the Big Ten, Big East and Mid-American Conferences. He has worked two NCAA Division I Regional Tournaments (2008 and 2009), Pan American Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil (2007), two Big East Conference Tournaments (2004 & 2007), four Mid-American Conference Tournaments (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009) and the MHSAA Finals (1999). ). He has also worked numerous postseason assignments at the NCAA Division II, III and NAIA levels. Mark is currently the Assistant Director for the MHSAA and is the Section 4 representative on the National Federation Baseball Rules Committee. He is a nationally recognized speaker and has addressed a variety of officiating, coaching, athletic administration and sport audiences across the country. He also officiates Division III college football in the MIAA.
Mark Winters
Mark has been umpiring for over 18 years. In 1994 Mark attended the Wendelstedt Umpire School and graduated as the top umpire. Mark spent 11 years as a professional umpire working in the Pioneer, New York-Penn, Midwest, Carolina, Eastern and Pacific Coast Leagues. His professional career culminated as an AAA crew chief working the “Futures” game in Atlanta, Georgia. Mark also umpired in the Dominican Republic Winter League in 2003 and 2004 and worked the Caribbean World Series in 2004. He was selected to work the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Havana, Cuba in 2006. Mark began working college baseball in 2005, umpiring primarily in the Big 12 and Big Ten Conferences. He worked the 2008 Big 12 Conference Tournament. He also officiates college basketball at the Division II, III, NAIA and JUCO levels.