CARBON COUNTY, Pa. — Dan Rossino has been the president of the Blue Mountain Umpires Association and a 6th grade English, reading, and writing teacher in the Jim Thorpe school district for the last 30 years. He has never been away from his students this long and away from his umpire duties at the District 18 Babe Ruth and softball complex in Jackson Township near Lehighton.
"The interactions. The daily interactions with all the students, and all the faculty and the administration I miss it tremendously," said Dan.
Dan checks on his equipment periodically and the fields. Signs of spring blossom but reminders of the shutdown are still evident.
"The mental part of it again is staying sharp on the rules, your mechanics and I watch videos," again said Dan.
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Normally about 60 teams from softball to Babe Ruth with coach pitch and on up would normally be playing on these fields here in Franklin Township but as you can see right now it's just the maintenance workers cutting grass.
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"So there is a lot out there you just have to want to do it and do it, because when it's all said and done and the government says that you are good to go we need to be ready to go," added Dan.
With an extensive check list to go through just to get ready for the summer, Dan is also concerned about the start of school in the fall and the beginning of many sports to come.
"What's the new norm? I have no idea what the new normal is going to be. You are going to have the batter, the catcher and the umpire. How is that going to work with social distancing," again said Dan.
Steve Lloyd Newswatch 16 sports Carbon County.