For many Little League® umpires, the dream is to one day call a game on the biggest stage in youth baseball or softball – at the Little League World Series. For the happily married umpiring duo of Bill and Jess Vikara, that dream becomes a reality for both of them this summer – Bill at the 2025 Little League Baseball® World Series (LLBWS), Presented by T-Mobile, and Jess at her first Little League Softball® World Series (LLWS), presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
The Vikara’s Little League journey began as parents when their kids played on the fields of Milford Little League in Marietta, Georgia. When Jess and Bill were not in the stands, cheering on their kids, they filled in when a game was short umpires. What initially began as helping the league out in a pinch quickly transformed into a shared passion.
“One of the big attractions is that this is something that we get to do together as a couple,” said Jess. “We both love the game, we love going out there supporting the kids and our community, and I get to go out there with my best friend nine times out of 10.”
Throughout their umpiring careers, the couple has shared countless memories on the diamond together. One game that sticks out from the others is the 2023 Little League Intermediate (50/70) Baseball Southeast Region Tournament Championship game. It’s no coincidence that one of their favorite experiences as umpires came as members of the same crew in a high-stakes game.
“During the region tournament, it was a calming influence on me to look up and see her at third base along with the other two umpires on our crew. For me personally, to see Jess out there, it’s like this is a regular game. I have my partner on the field, I’m good,” said Bill. “We’ve been doing it together for so long, it’s one of those things where I know where she’s going to be and what she’s going to do. It’s a lot of fun for me being out there on the field with her.”
The couple made their first trip to Williamsport in 2022 when Bill was invited to umpire that year’s LLBWS. After watching Bill from the stands, Jess had the opportunity to get behind the plate last year for the inaugural Maria Pepe Little League Baseball Legacy Series: A Girls with Game Experience with an all-female umpire crew.
“That was such an incredible, incredible thing, being there with other female umpires,” said Jess. “The camaraderie that you get with a bunch of ladies, as opposed to a mixed group, it was awesome there.”
The Vikara’s journey on the field has now led them to today – preparing to call games on the biggest stages of youth baseball and softball. Though they won’t be able to work the international tournaments together, they will undoubtedly be supporting each other as they live out their dreams.
To learn more about their careers and excitement leading up to the LLBWS and LLSWS, Little League sat down for a “Full-Count Conversation” with both Bill and Jess Vikara:
1-0 Count: Bill, what does it mean to be invited back for the 2025 LLBWS? Jess, how did it feel to get the call for your first and to your first time calling the LLSWS?
Bill: “To get invited back, it’s another dream come true. I never imagined that I would go one time. To be able to go twice, is an unbelievable feeling. I really don’t know how to describe it.”
Jess: “I think I’m still in shock, honestly. I’ve been working for this since the first region tournament that I went to watch right after the Southeast Region facility opened in Georgia. I wanted to get to the World Series, and then as I progressed as an umpire, getting closer and closer to it, now I get to go there. It’s like Bill said, it’s indescribable, but there’s also a lot of satisfaction that comes with it. And this is what I’ve worked for. It’s the Disney World of softball. It’s like [after winning] the Super Bowl, it’s ‘I’m going to Disney World.’ For me, it’s ‘I’m going to Greenville.’ That’s probably the best way I can describe the LLSWS.”
1-1 Count: Jess, while there’s been an increase in female umpires in the industry, what does it mean to you to be a female in a male-dominated field? Bill, what was your reaction when you heard Jess was selected to umpire the LLSWS?
Jess: “I’m blazing my own path. As a new umpire, you’re just that – a new umpire. But I stuck with it, I sought out training, and I can hold my own with the guys. I’m just another umpire out there. I’m not a female umpire; I’m part of the crew. I’m part of the third team on the diamond.”
Bill: “It was exciting for me. I know how hard she’s worked. Both of us have worked hard to get to where we are. But I know specifically for her, watching her develop, and being able to share that moment when she got that phone call from Stu Hartenstein, it was very gratifying for me. I enjoyed it.”
2-1 Count: Today, you continue to give back to your umpire community by helping train those who are just getting underway on their umpire journeys. What has inspired you to give back in this way?
Bill: “When I first started out, I didn’t really have a desire to continue. But once I started getting into it, once I started meeting different people not just from our region, but from other regions, it made me want to help people get to where I am. I think that the satisfying feeling that I got when I did my first region tournament, knowing that I was trained the right way, I was trained by some of the best people that Little League had at the time and who continue to instruct today. I think that inspired me to give back and bring people to where I’ve been. You can go as far as you want to go in Little League and even beyond, and I think we’re going to take this program to that next level.”
2-2 Count: Thinking about your journey – what advice would you give to someone who is looking to become a volunteer umpire?
Bill: “Stick with it. The first couple of seasons can be challenging because you’re learning. Being an official is one of those jobs where you have to be perfect because people in the dugouts and in the stands expect you to be perfect every time and get better from there. The first two-to-three years, you’re going to make mistakes, you’re going to be in the wrong position. You just have to take those opportunities to learn from those mistakes and continue to get better.”
Jess: “Remember that you’re out there to have fun too. The kids aren’t going to remember that you missed a call or if you’re strike zone wasn’t great. Go out there, have fun, and learn. And if you love it, keep doing it.”
3-2 Count: Bill, what advice would you give Jess before she steps out onto her first LLSWS diamond? Jess, after watching Bill in 2022, what advice would you give him for his second LLBWS?
Bill: “Soak it all in and enjoy the experience. I think back to my first one and I’m excited to go back because I’m going to do things that I didn’t do the first time. So, soak it all in and try to do anything and everything that you want to do, but make sure you’re focused when you step on the field. Enjoy the ride, it goes by fast. Before you know it, you will be packing up your gear and saying goodbye to your crew.”
Jess: “Just enjoy the ride. You’ve already made it. You’re going back. You’ve got nothing else to prove. Just go have the time of your life.”
Interested in becoming a Little League umpire? Visit LittleLeague.org/Umpires to learn more. For more information on the Little League Baseball and Softball World Series, visit LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries.