Harrisburg Area Police Athletic League (HAPAL)
Umpire Development/Training Program (UDTP)– 2023
The recent decline in sports officials has severely impacted the proper facilitation of organized youth sporting events throughout the country. The retirement of older officials and the verbal and physical attacks on the current officials has created a vacuum that has become increasingly difficult to fill. A once highly respected profession is no longer desirable to young adults. If this trend continues the quality of youth sports as we know will continue to decline. HAPAL through its Mentoring Through Sports (MTS) program has recognized an opportunity for youth to learn the umpiring profession and start calling games and making money starting at age 14.
