Behind the Plate with Baseball Umpire Sarah Hamilton

Hello Behind the Coaching readers and supporters! Hope everyone’s having a great month of August so far. In today’s interview feature, I had a great conversation with Sarah Hamilton, a baseball umpire who is currently a Broadcast Associate for the MLB, a social media manager for the Society for American Baseball Research, focusing on the history of Women in Baseball, and continues to umpire baseball games wherever she is needed.

Recently, Sarah spent 2 months as an umpire for the Cooperstown Dream Park (May-June 2026) and for the Cosmic Sports Takeover Tour (July-August 2026). Sarah also shared with us that she is a strong advocate for mental health and later you’ll read some of her tips and experiences.

Hope you enjoy learning from Sarah about what it’s like to be a baseball umpire, learning more about her current career, and future goals!

How did you get into umpiring baseball games? What was it about umpiring that interested you in becoming an enforcer of the rules?

SH: I saw a post on LinkedIn last Fall about Level Ump giving scholarships to women to participate in the Final year of the Wendelstedt Umpire School. I thought getting the umpiring experience would help me understand the game better, and also help me with my first full-time video editing job at MLB, and it certainly did. Being on the field, I have felt a peace, as well as God’s presence, and I knew from the beginning that because of that, this was something I needed to continue.

I love being a leader and helping others understand new things. I’ve been a natural born leader since elementary school, and I actually started networking in 6th grade. With my sports management, communications and now umpire experiences combined, I feel all of those lead me to where I was meant to be. 

It’s also great to help others understand and appreciate new things.

What was it like working games for the Cosmic Takeover Tour and for Cooperstown Dreams Park? I could imagine there are some big differences between the two concepts of baseball.

SH: At the Cosmic Takeover Tour in Buffalo, I had one of the best experiences of my life. I got there at 3 PM, went to the VIP party and block party to hang with the players and umpires, and meet new people. Then soon, it was game time. We had 4 innings of baseball in the daylight, and to me, it went very fast. I had one of the first plays of the game, and it was a very close call, but I ended up being correct, which was very exciting. Then there was a 30-minute intermission, and then it was glow in the dark play. It lasted 4 more innings and included fireworks. It was so fun, and with the light effects, glow effects, fireworks and music, it was amazing. I honestly got emotional a few times because it felt like everything I worked for in my life paid off.

At Dreams Park, it was significantly more competitive, but also more challenging. But I learned a lot through the experience, and getting to bond with the other women and men umpires for the week was awesome.

Earlier this year, you attended the MLB Umpire Camp, what was it about the experience that you found to be insightful for your own umpire journey?

SH: I found that it is important to always have confidence on the field, be loud and clear, and listen to directions. But also working on the things like stances and movements consistently is very important.

Given your dedication towards mental health advocacy, what would you recommend someone do to better support their own psychological well-being? As a follow-up, in your opinion, what seems to be a common pattern or hurdle you notice when people struggle to prioritize their mental health? 

SH: I would say find the time to do something you love everyday, even if it is for 5 minutes. It is actually known that if you do that, your mood will improve, and you will have more energy.

I would say not telling people what you are feeling is a big factor. I know there is stigma going on, but at the end of the day, if you are struggling, you have to ask for help, because that is how you will feel and get better. I noticed the more I communicate, the more I am able to manage my symptoms and find ways to work through things.

As someone who works in social media management and sports production, if you were given full creative control over a project designed to educate fans, coaches, and players on the difficulty and mental pressure of an umpire’s job, what would that campaign look like? 

SH: I would definitely bring women umpires on to share their experiences, but also any of those who have had a hard time in the umpiring world whether it is with coaches, players, or personal insults/difficult situations. I would help explain what umpires go through, why they need to be trusted, and why they ALWAYS deserve respect.

Umpires often have to manage confrontations with players and managers. What is your personal philosophy for maintaining control of the game and staying consistent with the intense emotions surrounding you?

SH: When a coach argues or says something rude, I don’t react, and just say “I hear you.” This has actually helped me in all of my careers, especially in Minor League Baseball. Part of umpiring is trying to avoid and ease conflict, so it is my job to make sure things don’t get out of control.

Officiating inherently puts you in the crosshairs of criticism and intense scrutiny. How do you personally process the emotional weight of a tough game or a blown call?

I will always talk to someone right after my games. Whether its my parents, my best friends, or other women umpires, talking to them to help me sort through my thoughts and feeling definitely helps.

Across your overall journey as an umpire so far, what has been the most valuable lesson the game has taught you about yourself that you couldn’t have learned anywhere else? 

SH: I can overcome everything that is challenging. Between my mental health challenges, losing family members, and having a challenge in some of my education, things haven’t always been easy. And umpiring hasn’t always been easy. But I am here, and I have made it through every single tough time in my life, so I am going to keep going. And I will not stop going for what I want.

Thank you for tuning into Behind the Coaching. We thank Sarah Hamilton again for sharing her story and taking the time of her day to speak with us.