As the pitches fire and the bats crack, 16-year-old green-shirt umpire James Mills watches intently.
Having officiated throughout the 2024 Melbourne Winter Baseball League season, he has come to relish the excitement of being right in the middle of the action.
“I love it, it’s just so fun,” he says.
James has always loved baseball, but finding his place on the field was a challenge due to an acquired brain injury (ABI). As a teenager, despite being able to pitch a mean sinker, his ABI limited his ability to run the bases.
Yet his passion for the game never wavered – he’s always loved attending games, chatting with friends, and debating umpiring calls from the stands.
It wasn’t until his first baseball coach Barry Fields suggested he take on umpiring that he found a way to get involved that he could really sink his teeth into.
Fellow umpire Phil Mulligan quickly took James under his wing and supported his new trajectory.
“Phil is my mentor, and I got into umpiring because of him – both him and Barry have taught me so much,” James says.
He also credits his umpiring journey to the support of several other key figures, including umpire trainer Brett Robson, who ran the umpiring course James attended last year.
“Brett was incredibly encouraging,” says James’ mum, Juliette. “He’s become an inspiration for us as an international umpire.”
However, umpiring is not without its challenges for James, particularly as someone first starting out.
“If you make a wrong call, you have to own up to it. That’s probably the most difficult part,” he admits. “You have to stay focused.”
Juliette highlighted the league’s “green-shirt” initiative as an effective way to support junior umpires.
“It serves as a visual cue to everyone on the field that this is someone who’s learning,” she says.
“You always feel there’s a strong support system encouraging people to step into that role.”
One of James’s favourite aspects of umpiring is the sense of belonging it provides, particularly the tight-knit community and the opportunity to connect with fellow umpires and players alike.
“You get to socialise with a lot of people of all ages, which is great,” James says. “I’ve made so many friends, and it’s become a good community – small, but very big as well.”
Juliette has witnessed firsthand the positive impact that umpiring has had on James.
“It’s been fantastic! I love that when you’re an umpire, that’s your uniform,” she says.
“James is so young, he’s only 16. But to be making decisions for adults and have them respect those decisions is amazing. From a holistic perspective, it’s wonderful to see.”
James hopes to continue umpiring across Melbourne and aspires for it to blossom into a fulfilling career.
“I want to travel the world with baseball umpiring – I envision a long-term career in it,” he says.
“My ultimate dream is to umpire in the ABL (Australian Baseball League), that’s probably my big dream.”
James has valued the opportunities umpiring has provided him and is hoping more people will embrace the role as a way to contribute to the baseball community.
If you’re interested in taking up umpiring or further honing your skills, keep an eye out for the regular training programs that are offered throughout the year, or contact administrator@mwbl.com.au for more information.
