SASKATOON - Prysm Gooding has been recognized for her commitment to softball in Estevan and throughout the province.
Gooding was presented with the Marilyn O'Driscoll Junior Umpire of the Year Award during the recent Softball Saskatchewan awards night in Saskatoon. She said she was surprised to be saluted, but she has enjoyed the work and has officiated games in a sport she loves.
"I enjoy meeting new people. They're people who are into the same hobby as me. I've played softball since I was four years old, so I know the rules of the game, and I thought I might as well show some respect for people who are doing it [officiating] for me," Gooding told the Mercury and SaskToday.
Gooding, who is now 17, started umpiring when she was 11, calling games for younger players. She noted she was the only girl who stepped forward to help at that time. She started working with Bienfait's Barret Fleck, who was recently named the top junior umpire in the province for baseball, and he helped her out. Estevan Softball Association president Wade St. Onge also helped her progress.
As an umpire, she was selected to officiate the Western Canadian U15 Championships in North Battleford for both boys and girls, and she was assigned the third base umpire job for the girls' gold-medal game. She also worked at provincials for the U13s in Moose Jaw.
She recalls that earlier this season, she was not only umpiring games in Regina, but she was playing in other contests the same day.
"It was a pretty hot weekend. There was a younger age group and then there was my group. So, I would play and then I would umpire, play and then I'd umpire," said Gooding.
Gooding said Softball Saskatchewan told her they were impressed with her ability to work "by the book" when officiating, and were pleased with her love and knowledge for the sport, having played it for so many years.
"I've become more confident through my whole year this year. I've got a boost of confidence."
Her introduction to softball came thanks to a couple of aunts who used to play the game, and her father was part of the softball board at one time. She took up the game, enjoyed it and kept looking for ways to be involved.
Gooding is a Level 3 umpire. An official is eligible to move up a level every two years, but she has to be evaluated by the umpire-in-chief in North Battleford in order to graduate. She has also been to the national skills camp in Regina, where there were two umpiring representatives from B.C.
"That's what gave me the boost to go to the U15 westerns, and I'm hoping to go to another one or a couple more next year," she said.
She hopes to continue umpiring and remain involved in the sport. She encourages others to consider working as an umpire, as even though the money isn't great, it's a fun way to spend a couple months in the spring and summer months.
"I enjoy doing it by myself, but also when I'm with people who can teach me new things, it's pretty neat. Every game is not the same; they're all different in a way," she said.
