Gimme 5: New Lenox Umpire Jasionowski Has His Mechanics Down Pat

Kevin Jasionowski always has loved baseball.

He played the game for 14 years before stopping eight years ago, which coincided with his debut as a baseball umpire.

“A friend got me into umpiring," he said. "I had really wanted to stay with the game in some way so I decided to do it. I love baseball. I really love the game and I love umpiring. I think this is something I’ll do for a lifetime.”

Jasionowski has worked approximately 125 games per year during his eight-year career, although he’s worked less this year as he’s been quite busy pursuing his professional career. Jasionowski has a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is now interning at Invensys Controls in Carol Stream.

He works games for a variety of ages—mostly kids 13 years and older—but sometimes he’ll call games of kids who are between the ages of 10 and 12.

He’s also put away his clicker on occasion. He returned to the batter’s box and field as a player this year, participating in the new collegiate league in New Lenox.

“Having not played for eight years, I was a little rusty at first, but it’s started to come back to me,” he said. “It’s a league for 19- to 24-year-olds, but you can have a couple players older than 24, so that’s lucky for me so I’m able to play again.

“It’s just regular rec ball. We’re out there for fun.”

Although as an umpire, Jasionowski can only wish the same could be said for some of the many games he works each summer.

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