Acquiring the set of skills necessary to perform the duties of a National Umpire not only enhances your competence on the rink of play, but also provides an additional and important benefit to your club.
The path to becoming an umpire begins with submitting this application.
You will then be sent a 25-question open-book test, to complete along with the umpire pledge to sign. The results of the test are confidential.
If the open-book test receives a passing grade, then your Head Division Umpire (HDU) will administer the skills test and the 10-question oral exam. In the skills test, you demonstrate your ability to competently measure between bowls, to use a boundary mirror, calipers, wedges for bowls, etc. The oral exam is designed to demonstrate how to handle typical questions that may arise during a game.
The Policies & Procedures Manual of the National Umpires Club is on the Bowls USA website and available to download. A detailed explanation of the requirements and duties of not only umpires, but the National Umpire-in-Chief and the Head Division Umpires is contained within that document.
If you would like more information, if you have other questions, or if you would like to gain the competencies necessary for the skills test, contact your Head Division Umpire.
For your convenience, here’s a list of each division’s HDU:
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Central Division
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Leif Andresen
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Northeast Division
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Colin Smith
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Northwest Division
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Richard Broad
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Pacific Intermountain Division
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Ginger Harris
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South Central Division
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Dee McSparran
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Southeast Division
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Bud Ricucci
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Southwest Division
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Melanie Vizenor
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I look forward to welcoming you to the Bowls USA National Umpires Club.
Melanie A Vizenor
Bowls USA, National Umpire-in-Chief