David Uyl
In an era when it’s arguably more difficult than ever to find officials, referees and umpires for sports of all ages, David Uyl is still investing in the vocation – after first umpiring youth games under the supervision of his father, Jim decades ago in Michigan.
“Dad ran the youth Little League program, and my older brother, Mark, and I, by the time we were 12, 13 years old, would play our basketball and baseball games,” Uyl said, “and then we officiated the younger kids’ games while our dad also officiated.”
Decades later, Uyl’s devotion to the oft-thankless vocation burns anew. And he’s preparing to transition into an all-new role in the Volunteer State as part of his commitment.
Uyl has been named the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association’s Director of Officials Services. The newly created post is TSSAA’s intentional endeavor to foster stronger relationships and additional resources for officials at the high school level throughout the state.
“The level of experience and deep understanding that David has of all levels of officiating in multiple sports makes him the ideal person to lead in this area,” stated Mark Reeves, TSSAA Executive Director. “We can’t wait to have him on board!”
Athletics director at Pope John Paul II, Uyl is set to transition to the TSSAA in January after more than two years at the Hendersonville school and after spending more than a decade umpiring professional baseball. He continues to call games at the highest levels of collegiate baseball, including in the Big Ten Conference and the SEC; he’s just two years removed from helping umpire the prestigious College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
“I have absolutely loved being back in education and working with kids and being involved with umpiring and officiating is a huge passion for me,” Uyl, married to wife Kristin for 19 years and with sons Eli and Wyatt, said. “I’m incredibly grateful for TSSAA for this opportunity and excited for what it brings.
“I can’t wait to help officials in our state, to grow our numbers and get more younger people involved in officiating.”
Particularly, Uyl embraces the opportunity to work with those refereeing and umpiring across the state in an era where ubiquitous cell phone cameras and a penchant for complaining often overshadow the selfless work of individuals passionate about giving back to their respective sports.
Uyl, a former two-sport athlete at Hope College envisions partnering with colleges, universities and recreational departments from Memphis to the Tri-Cities and all points in between. Likewise, Uyl wants to recognize the dozens of outstanding officials throughout the TSSAA’s various sports while also being more open and transparent on rules interpretations as well as providing more access to video resources for local officials’ associations.
“I was just going to touch on the world we live in now, where everybody’s got a cell phone and officials are always under a microscope,” said Uyl, who also previously helped officiate college football games at the Football Bowls Subdivision level. “Pro sports on Sundays, colleges on Saturdays have about 18 different camera angles to try to help get the calls right.
“High school officials don’t have that. They have full-time jobs and they officiate because they love the sport. It is hard, and we’re expected to be perfect in everything we do. But I really in this role want to support our officials, create relationships with our officials’ associations and let them know they are appreciated.”
Uyl’s discerning eye, honed from his own decades of service, has seen his appreciation for this state’s referees only increase since his work at Pope John Paul II.
“I’ve seen a lot of good officiating the last three or four years at the high school level here in Tennessee. I want to let our men and women in stripes and blue shirts know they are loved and appreciated and let them know they’re doing a great job and we have their back.
“We’re always going to care about it when we have to make a controversial or big call, but I really try to go out of my way when seeing a crew do a good job to let them know they’re doing a great job.”
In fact, Uyl believes this new position and forthcoming programs he seeks to spawn are steps to enhancing the competitive environment.
“Unfortunately, sportsmanship is somewhat at a breaking point, and we need to be better as a society,” he said. “We harp on being a good sport, doing good things. We need to keep the bigger picture in mind.
“High school sports is another learning experience for our youth, and without sports officials, we can’t do that.”
