Umpire

sports · rules · fairness · authority

Rule enforcers. Umpires watch every play carefully and make sure players follow the rules of their sport, whether it's baseball, tennis, soccer, or another game.

Sportsmanship judges. When players argue with each other or treat opponents disrespectfully, umpires can tell them to stop or even kick them out of the game if things get too heated.

Split-second decisions. Umpires have to make tough calls in a fraction of a second, like whether a pitch was a strike or whether a player was safe or out.

Different in each sport. A tennis umpire sits in a high chair and calls whether balls land in or out, while a baseball umpire stands behind home plate to judge strikes and balls.

Trained and certified. Before becoming an umpire, people study the rules extensively and pass tests to prove they know the game well enough to officiate fairly.