Derek Whitfield (center) with fellow umpires, is our newest Heart of Gold recipient.
Just recently, Derek Whitfield was preparing for another weekend of youth baseball games at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Indianapolis. He had to schedule officials for 395 games at 26 different baseball fields for teams of 8-year-olds to teams of 18-year-olds.
When does he sleep?
“Not often,” Derek said with a chuckle.
But who needs sleep? He loves his job, and he keeps encouraging young kids to consider umpiring.
Derek’s passion for umpiring and giving back to the community is why he is being named our latest UMPS CARE Charities Heart of Gold recipient.
“I can’t think of a person in this world who represents the Heart of Gold better than Derek Whitfield,” wrote Alex Skandalis, CEO of United Umpires, which operates Grand Park. “He lives by the motto, ‘Win the Day,’ hoping to bring positivity to the world when the sun rises each morning in the world and specifically the world of umpiring.”
Like many umpires, Derek was once a baseball player. He played high school and college baseball in his hometown of Biloxi, Mississippi. He played at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and later at Loyola College in New Orleans.
“Once I realized my days of playing baseball were coming to an end, I had to figure out how I was going to stay in the game,” he said. “I was either going to umpire or become a coach. I had mentors from Biloxi who had brought umpiring to my attention, and I always had left umpiring as an avenue, and here I am.”
These days, Derek lives in Westfield, Indiana, and manages the officials at Grand Park Sports Campus, which in addition to the 26 baseball fields and 31 multi-purpose fields is also home to the Indianapolis Colts Training Camp and Pacers Athletic Center. He is the lead assignor there and at another nearby complex in Kokomo, Indiana.
When you work at such a large facility, it can become a job of just plugging in names, but Derek doesn’t approach the job with that mentality. He wants to know umpires’ names – and what is happening in their world.
“What makes Derek stand out is he just has such a care for the people working at the facility and takes the time to walk around and talk to people about their lives,” said Alex Skandalis, who has been assigning umpires for 27 years and knows the pressures and the challenges of the job well.
“He is the face that every umpire sees when they walk in the locker room at these facilities,” Skandalis added. “He is one of the first people these umpires speak with when something has gone on at home or they need a friend to lean on. He is also one of the first people they share joy with. After all, some of the umpires see Derek and our staff more during the summer than they see their families.”
Sometimes, Derek can be found taking time out just to watch a young umpire work and offer advice. He’ll also see if he can find ways to scrounge up extra gas money or deliver boxed lunch to an umpire working multiple games in a tournament. A simple gesture of kindness goes a long way toward making umpires feel welcome.
“Many times the umpires will walk off of the field after a long spring or summer day umpiring 12-18 year-old kids to find a BBQ grill fired up with some of the best grilled chicken in the world – I speak from experience,” wrote Jon Browar, who also nominated Derek for the Heart of Gold award. “He’s just a great guy that puts others ahead of himself.”
Derek said he loves helping teens find summer jobs and learning more about umpiring. He’s had the chance to work games at the high school, college and even some minor league games.
“I want to help kids get into high school umpiring, and high school umpires to get into college baseball,” Derek said. “It’s a great way to be a part of the game and to give back to your community.”
Congratulations, Derek, for being named our UMPS CARE Charities Heart of Gold winner. If you know of someone in the umpiring community who should be named a Heart of Gold recipient, nominate them today!
