West Texas umpires get once-in-a-lifetime experience at Banana Ball games in Midland

MIDLAND, Texas (KOSA) - Banana Ball is in Midland, and some West Texas umpires are getting a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The Texas Tailgaters and the Party Animals are in the middle of a three-game series at Momentum Bank Ballpark. The Texas Association of Sports Officials or TASO provides training for high school sports officials like the ones in these games. Officials are coming from Midland, San Angelo and Abilene.

“This is where I’ve lived for a majority of my life, San Angelo, Midland, Odessa,” said Craig Kolls, a district director with TASO. “I’ve lived out here and you know, we’ve all eaten the same dirt, and I just want to give back to what I can.”

Having officiated from high school to college ball, Kolls is well aware that being an umpire is a tough job, but the reception he’s had in Midland has been something else.

“In umpiring you never want people to remember your name, you just want to get on the field, call the game the best that you can, and then walk off,” Kolls said. “Last night they said ‘no, man,’ I got to autographs, I’ve never signed an autograph in my life.”

Beyond the fun, Kolls said there is a nationwide problem in sports officiating.

“In every sport that you can imagine, everything from Little Leagues, the city leagues, all the way up from college to the professional ranks, they need umpires so bad, and we need everybody that is willing to come out here to join the game is what we want,” Kolls said.

Those interested in local officiating are urged to sign up at TASO.org.