I'm a returning umpire after a 15 year hiatus to complete school and start a family. I'm just looking forward to keeping up with the game and be the best ump I can be.
Welcome! Illinois has a strong PGF presence. Not sure what part of IL you are in but try to get hooked up on Dave Betchers list. He generally runs the best tournaments in the state. The better teams you can umpire the less crazy the parents are going to be and the fewer unusual situations you are going to have because players are more skilled. You are also more likely to get stronger partners and rarely will you do a game alone in PGF.