Ten Years at the Wounded Warrior Umpire Academy
Jun 15th, 20232023 marks 10 years of our sponsorship with the Wounded Warrior Umpire Academy. Since the inception of WWUA, we have arranged that each student receives a full set of gear and apparel for use when they start their umpiring careers back in their communities after the 10-day camp.
WWUA Instructor Seth Swanson ready to distribute gear!
Our suppliers have never hesitated to support this joint effort for those who have sacrificed so much.
This year’s suppliers include:
- Force3 Pro Gear
- Smitty Official's Apparel
- Umpire Shirts - Pro Knit Black Shirt & Body Flex Polo With Black Collar
- Polyester Plate & Base Pants With Expanding Waistband
- Black Compression Tights
- Deluxe XL Expandable Umpire Ball Bag
- UMPLIFE
- New Balance
- Mid Cut Plate & Low Cut Base Umpire Shoes
- Champro
- Shock Doctor
- Cups and Jocks
We are proud to organize these donations, fill in the gaps, and then provide on site support throughout the entire camp.
Staffer Brandon Lawson adjusts the Force3 Chest Protector on Student Jose Natividad.
Retired MLB Umpire Greg Gibson ensuring coverage on student Jeff Barrett from the Force3 Mask and Chest Protector.
For more information on WWUA, visit www.woundedwarriorua.org.
About the Author
President Jim Kirk
Jim is a leading expert, educator and author on umpire gear, safety & appearance. After playing baseball at Centre College, he worked as a high school umpire. He became involved in E-Commerce while working on an MBA in the early 2000s and bought Ump-Attire.com in 2006, He eventually led it to the leading umpire gear & attire retailer worldwide, a “Best Places to Work in Louisville” honor in 2020 & 2021 and a National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) Preferred Vendor. He maintained a long-standing relationship with Minor League Baseball Umpire Development & Training Academy for 10 years. He serves as an adviser to UMPS CARE Charities, the charity of MLB umpires, served as a 2-term board of director from 2012-2018, and was named their 2015 Ambassador Award recipient. A supporter since the inception of the Wounded Warrior Umpire Academy, he was named to their Board of Directors in 2020.
Comments
Jim is an amazing individual. I can attest first hand how his company is not only changing, but saving lives. Thank you for your OUTSTANDING support over the years, Jim!
- Comment by Andy (Doc) Barker
- Jun 23, 2023
Reply