About the Camp

Bruce Doane Sr. created a legacy of training umpires, first through his work on the field and later through the camp that now bears his name. He is pictured here with his son, Bruce Doane Jr., who has continued the tradition passed down from his father.

Bruce Doane Sr. had a vision — to create a first class training camp for amateur umpires. This vision has been a reality since 1991.

Bruce established this camp that now turns out over 100 umpires annually. It was his leadership that brought campers, instructors, players and administrators together to find common ground. That common ground was the betterment of amateur baseball through umpire improvement.

Bruce passed away at the age of 72. He is missed by the umpires he has trained and the baseball community he served. However, his legacy and vision will continue on through the continual improvement of amateur baseball promoted by the best umpire clinic in America — the Bruce Doane Sr. Umpire Camp.

Camp Directors

 Bruce Doane Jr. serves as our Camp Director. Bruce serves as the umpire supervisor and assignor for both the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference and the Michigan Community College Athletic Association, and is also the co-assignor for the Crossroads League. In addition to these duties, he is still active on the field, having nearly 40 years umpiring experience. He is also the son of the camp's founder, Bruce Doane Sr., and was instrumental in creating the camp. Bruce's complete biography can be viewed on our staff page.

Mark Uyl Assistant Director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, serves as our Chief of Instruction. He has been an active umpire for nearly 20 years and is a nationally recognized speaker concerning all aspects of amateur officiating. Read Mark's complete officiating biography on our staff page

Camp Staff

Instructors at the Bruce Doane Sr. Umpire Camp bring more than 300 years of umpiring experience at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. More importantly, they are dedicated to making you a stronger umpire and helping you reach your officiating goals. The staff will not waste your time with "war stories."

Note: The list below shows the instructors for all of our camps. Instructors for any specific camp may vary.

Hotel Information

Rooms will be available for campers at the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton — Grand Rapids Downtown at a special rate of $129 / night. The hotel is about three blocks from the GRCC Ford Fieldhouse and the cost of the room may be shared with a roommate.

• Individuals are responsible for hotel reservations.
• Price is good if booked before January 5th.
• Hotel phone number is 616.456.2000.

Additional Camp Information

Equipment and Dress

• Friday evening: casual dress
• Saturday: umpire dress (uniform) with plate equipment

Camp Questions

Please contact us using the information below if you have further questions regarding the camp.