JOIN TARA

How to Join Tara

To become a member of Tara, applicants must:

Be of good moral character and reputation.

Be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

Submit a Tara Application.

Pay Tara dues & any fees required by the GHSA.

Purchase and/or maintain the necessary equipment and uniforms to officiate baseball & softball.

Attend required meetings and training classes as scheduled.

Applications

All members are required to submit a Tara application every year. Tara members are considered independant contractors and, as such, services of an independant contractor extend for a period of one (1) year.

The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) requires all new members to complete a GHSA application for each high school sport you desire to officiate. Members that officiated high school sports with Tara in the previous year are exempt from completing the GHSA application. However, should a member miss a year, they also will be required to complete a GHSA application. This requirement applies to both baseball and softball.

The Tara Application, IRS Form W-9 and the GHSA application are available on the FORMS & LINKS page of this web site.

Game Fees & Payment

Game fees for games worked are paid to the members after payment is received from the league or school. Ten percent (10%) is withheld from every game fee for administrative fees. No administrative fees are withheld from travel pay. Travel pay for high school games are paid on a per-day basis, ie; if you work one game in one day you will get one travel payment. If you work 2 or more games on one day, you receive one travel pay for that day. Game pay is mailed to the members via U.S. mail. It is therefore important to make sure the Secretary-Treasurer and the Booking Agent have a current mailing address, email address and phone number(s).

Game fees are paid to the umpires after the league or team has paid Tara.

Members that earn more than six hundred dollars ($600.00) in a calendar year will recieve an IRS form 1099 from Tara. An IRS Form W9 form must be submitted with the applicaion and is available to download on the FORMS & LINKS page on this web site.

Game Assignment

Members are assiged games using a computer-based booking system that is maintained by the booking agent. Members are required to monitor their email and respond in a timely manner to assignments from the Booking Agent. A link to this program, (known as ARBITER) is on the FORMS & LINKS page on this web site.

All members are required to submit a BLOCK OUT SHEET to the Booking Agent. This form indicates the days that you are available to umpire games. Members that do not block-out a date are expected to be available to work on that particular date. A current BLOCKOUT SHEET is on the FORMS &LINKS page on this web site. Members can also go to ARBITER and block out date(s). There is a link to ARBITER on the FORMS & LINKS page.

Training

Each January, a meeting is conducted for all Tara members. At this meeting, all members will submit an application for Tara, GHSA required paperwork and pay dues and fees. Training will begin in January and extend through January and February. GHSA rule books will be distributed to all members after they submit their application and fees. Softball training will begin prior to the softball season.

Training is conducted by a staff of trainers under the direction of the Umpire-in-Chief of the respective sport. Training will be conducted in a classroom and on the field. Attendance at training sessions are required for all members.

The GHSA requires all umpires that work high school games to take a written test and complete a rules clinic:

Baseball has two tests refered to as Part 1 and Part 2. Both of these test will be administered by Tara. An umpire must score no less than 85% on both test. Testing dates are governed by the GSHA and will be announced several weeks prior to testing.

Softball has one test that is administered by GHSA officials at one central location.

The rules clinics are conducted on-line by the GHSA. Umpires are required to complete a rules clinic every year for each sport they officiate. There is a 21-day time frame scheduled by GHSA for umpires to take the test. A link for rules clinics are on the MEMBER SERVICES page of this web site.

*** IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS ***

Tara Umpires Association