Instructors' Qualifications
We have more major league umpires than any other school in the country, as well as high school, NCAA I, II, III and minor league level trainers.
All of our instructors are seasoned veterans with well over 100 years experience.
They are well-trained to give each student personalized attention.
TODD PASKIET
Todd worked 8 Years in Major League Professional Baseball and is a 2001 Graduate of the Harry Wendelstedt School of Umpires. Worked 1 year in each of the following leagues Gulf Coast League (Rookie), Appalachian (Low A), South Atlantic (A), Florida State (High A) and Southern (AA). I then spent 3 years in the International League (AAA).
During those years he was selected to work 3 league playoff series, 2 league championship series, and also was selected as the Southern League All-Star Game Crew Chief before being promoted to Triple-A. His last year in professional baseball was 2008.
He has been the head instructor at various camps and clinics for the past 10 years.
LARRY EATON
Larry Eaton, Major League Spring training games, as well as AA and AAA Major league level baseball, began his tenure in baseball as a Little League player at age 8. On his 10th birthday, he set a Little League pitching record, throwing a perfect game, as he struck out 17 of the 18 batters. He played through high school and after 4 years in the Navy, he played into college.
Larry umpired his first game in a San Diego Pony League game and from that day on was hooked on umpiring.
After attending his 1st umpire clinic, run by veteran Major League umpire Augie Donatelli, The Augie Donatelli MLB Umpire Training School, he thought that this was what he wanted to for a hobby and possible a career. The traveling a minor league umpire has to do was more than he bargained for so he reverted back to sport umpiring. Larry finds it so much more personally rewarding. He has FUN umpiring at any level.
He has worked all levels, from Little League, High School, College, Men's Adult leagues, Five years ago he expanded his umpiring skills and began working girls high school fast pitch softball, where he was seen during a training & evaluation clinic in 2007 and asked to move up to college softball.
As long as there are games to umpire, Larry will be there loving every minute. Larry also teaches golf in the Palm Beach, Florida area.
Luis Sierra
Luis has been umpiring high school baseball for ten years and college baseball for six years. He graduated from the Jim Evans Umpire Training School.
He added major league professional baseball in the Atlantic League for one year to his umpiring career.
Beginning in 2003, he started umpiring in The Roy Hobbs World Series in Fort Myers, Florida, and has done that for five years.
During this time, he also worked the NBC World Series.
Luis lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Anthony (Tony) J. Senia
Summary of qualifications
Thirty (+) years experience as an umpire of highly competitive baseball, collegiate, professional minor league umpire and amateur levels. Proven on field and umpire administrative duties, which include:
Graduate of the Harry Wendelstedt School of Umpires
- Game Management
- Staffing/Scheduling
- Liaison between staff, league and club front office
- Training of Cadet Umpires. Advance training of umpire staffs
- Public Relations
- Recreational Programs
· Served as Crew Chief of the Canadian-American Association and American Association of Professional Baseball
· Instructor – Pro Umpire Camp, Grand Prairie , Texas
· Umpiring Member of the :CBUA- Chesapeake Basin , Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC), National Jr. Collegiate Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XV, New Jersey Federation of Umpires (NJSFU),New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), Central Jersey Umpires Association (CJUA), U.S. Over 30 Baseball (USOTB), Jersey Shore Baseball League (JSBL), Roy Hobbs Umpire Association (RHUA), National Adult Baseball Association (NABA)
· Served as Umpire in Chief for Roy Hobbs World Series
· Served as the Umpire in Chief of the South Plainfield Jr. Baseball Club
· Umpire training and development coordinator - CJUA
· Owner/Operator Ultimate Authority Umpire Training and Development Association
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BOB ROCCO
Bob is a graduate of the Harry Wendelstedt School of Umpires (previously called Al Summers).
His experience includes Little League, High School, NCAADivision I college baseball around Florida. He has also been umpire and crew chief for The Roy Hobbs World Series held in Fort Myers, Florida, each year, umpire for Fantasy Camps in Florida and Arizona, and a former trainer and evaluator for SEC Conferences. Bob is currently umpiring for the independent pro league-North American League. He umpired in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, summer of 2011.
LEE CHAMPAGNE
Lee is a graduate of Joe Brinkman School of Umpires. Lee now has over 25 years experience as an umpire. His experience includes high school baseball working in 7 state finals and 14 state semi finals in New Hampshire. Lee also worked two years on the New Hampshire College Board. He has been umpiring the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers, FL, for over 12 years and still counting.
In Florida, he has umpired the Roy Hobbs World Series for seven years. In addition, in Florida, Less has umpired the Red Sox and Twins Fantasy Camps since 2002, as well as umpiring the Reds and the Orioles Fantasy Camps .
Lee umpired exhibition games in the spring for the Red Sox in Fort Myers, Florida.
He has been a member of the NHBUA since 1990 and has been one of the trainers in the NH Baseball Apprentice Program since 1997 and is currently one of the regional assigners for high school baseball in New Hampshire.
John "Jack" Deveney
Jack began his umpiring career in 1978. With his 30 years of baseball experience, he has participated in all levels of baseball, including many tournaments, state and regional championships.
Jack grew up in the Boston area and became very involved in youth sports. As a member of the Massachusetts Baseball Umpires Association, he worked numerous High School Varsity Leagues, as well as many Amateur Baseball Leagues including the Boston Senior Park League (former minor league and college players). Jack also worked the Women's Fast Pitch Softball League.
Along with baseball umpiring, Jack's passion for sports brought him certification in basketball, soccer and football.
Jack is a member of the Robb Hobbs Umpire Association; Canada Baseball Officials; Massachusetts Baseball Umpires Association and is a former member of South Gulf Umpires Association. He also holds membership in the International Association of Basketball Officials; Eastern Massachusetts Soccer Officials Association and Association of New England Football Officials.
Jack resides in Florida with his wife of over 40 years. He spends part of his summer in Prince Edward Island, Canada, where he participates in baseball, as well as another of his favorite hobbies, music.
MAX McLEARY
Max is a graduate of Harry Wendelstedt School of Umpires. McLeary is an institution in the Frontier League.
The unaffiliated 12-team operation has produced such recent major-leaguers as Angels reliever Brendan Donnelly and Cardinals pitcher Jason Simontacchi.
McLeary grew up in Johnstown, Pa., and played collegiate ball at Penn State.
But it was former major-league umpire Augie Donatelli who turned the young man on to umpiring.
"He just worked with me," McLeary said. "He knew I treated the game right."
McLeary worked his way to the Class A New York-Penn League, but left umpiring in the early 1970s to coach soccer and assist mens' basketball coach Bill Musselman at Ashland (Ohio) University.
McLeary works about 70 Frontier League games a season, in addition to more than 200 college and high school games a year. He also assigns umpires for 12 Cincinnati-area high schools and 27 colleges.
IN MEMORIAL TO A GREAT MAN IN A GREAT SPORT -He left us, September 26, 2011 but his spirit will carry on
Henry "Hank" St. Clair
Hank graduated from the Sun Belt Umpires School in Charlotte, NC. My officiating career began over 30 years ago in Cleveland Ohio with stoppages for military, work and family. I learned to play baseball and softball in the sandlots of Cleveland and in high school. I continued to play and learned to officiate while in the USMC. My officiating career took off when forced to replace an ill official at a little league game.
I have officiated all levels of baseball including youth, recreation, high school, college and some minor league assignments. Have worked several organized Adult World Series that include MSBL, Roy Hobbs and NABA.
My training has come from baseball umpires schools and clinics over the years, with Jerry Lane and Steve Spano as my mentors. I have worked as a umpire trainer and mentor for various umpire associations.
The past three years Roy Hobbs Baseball has utilized my baseball skills as the UIC for umpires.
I believe that rules knowledge, mechanics and common sense are essential tools for a good umpire. Learning what good umpires do to present themselves respectfully and professionally are necessary.
Bill Collins
For nearly 50 years, Bill Collins has been either playing, coaching or umpiring baseball. Bill graduated from the Augie Donnetelli MLB Umpire Training School.
Bill began his playing career at the age of 7 and in 1967, he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, playing Double A ball for two and a half years before being drafted by Uncle Sam into the U.S. Army in 1969. Shortly before leaving for Vietnam, Bill umpired rec leagues at Stopel Park in Detroit and when he was discharged from the Army in 1972, Bill was a rec league baseball umpire, working his way up into high school baseball and then college baseball. Bill currently is a Division I, II and III college umpire for baseball and a Division I and II college umpire for softball. He has worked many conference tournaments, both junior college and junior Olympics.
Bill said he first became interested in umpiring at his father’s funeral.
“I was talking about something an umpire did and Ed Runge senior, a friend of my father’s and a Major League Baseball umpire, came up to me and said, "If you want to make a difference in umpiring, be one. But if you do, make the commitment to be the very best you can be.”
Bill’s umpire credentials include baseball for the NCAA, CBUA, ABUA, RHUA, American Legion, Midwest Elite League, Connie Mac and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA). Bill also is the assigner for American Legion, Midwest Elite and Connie Mac leagues and is an umpire trainer for the MHSAA.
STEVE BAVILACQUA
Steve has been umpiring for over 30 years. He began his career in California in 1980, officiating everything from Little League, Division 1 College Baseball, to Spring Training games in southwest Florida. He has been a member of several high school associations and umpires high school baseball as well.
He has worked the Little League World Series in Williamsport PA, High school State Championships, Division 1 and Division 11 College, professional spring training games, and has been selected to do the Pan American games in Mexico. He has umpired the elite talent affiliated with Perfect Game and has been an instructor with the Southeast division of Little League. He enjoys sharing knowledge and helping all umpires be the best they can be.
