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 Daily Herald Sports
July 24, 1998
by Mike Miazga
Jeff Collis started assigning umpires to baseball games as a way to help himself through college financially.
That was back in 1987 when Collis was providing umps for just the city of McHenry.
Now, some 11 years, later, Collis, who is the founding member and current assignment chairman of the up-and-coming, not to mention highly successful Fox Valley Blues umpires organization, runs a group of umpires that provides officials for baseball and softball games from ages 10 through adult.
And this particular outfit is bringing a long-awaited breath of fresh air to area baseball diamonds from Harvard to St. Charles.
What you won't find with the Fox Valley Blues are umpires who stand behind home plate to make a call at second, or show up to the game wearing an orange scarf on a cold spring day.
Umpires that are more concerned about where the check is, rather than officiating a youth game, need not apply either.
No, what you will find when you see the trademark "FVB" embroidered on a hat of an umpire working a local game is something this area has needed for a long time:
Trained, hard working officials that are there for the love of the game.
"It is a privilege to be a Fox Valley Blue," said Collis. "You don't just send in your 35 dollars and get a hat. We are interested in quality, not quantity. We would rather have 50 guys out there doing it right and taking care of the little things."
Collis saw his organization start to hit stride after he was awarded the Fox Valley Conference baseball and softball contracts in 1994, as well as the second CABA 15-year old World Series in Crystal Lake. That event, which begins its sixth year in Crystal Lake next week, is the group's annual showcase event.
The actual Fox Valley Blues group was started in the spring of 1995 with 35 members. At the time the Blues officially started as a group, Collis was assigning umpires for eight high schools in the spring and 12 leagues in the summer.
These days, those numbers have ballooned to 16 high schools—ranging from Grayslake to Hinckley-Big Rock—in the spring and a whopping 30 leagues in the summer. Collis, whose group also provides umpires for five local colleges, has also seen his roster expand from that original 35 number all the way into the 70-75 range this season. Collis also assigns some softball games—mainly during the high school season.
Numerous Fox Valley Blues have also dabbled into the next level, as well. Several have worked Division-I games this year, while Fox Valley Blues president Steve Wammer is currently umping in the independent professional Northern League.
"We have come so far in just four years," said Collis. "We are planting the seed. If you would have asked me four years ago if I envisioned (how big the group has gotten), I would have said 'no way.' And five years from now, it will probably be bigger. It is all incredible and it is all because of the guys. We have a great crew. They go and sell us. This whole thing self-markets itself."
Jim Maczka, who has been with the Fox Valley Blues for four years and umpired some key American Legion games last weekend, feels added motivation before he even steps on the field.
"Being a part of the Fox Valley Blues absolutely makes me want to do better," said Maczka. "With all the top level guys we have, it makes it fun to go out and work. If I want to keep getting better, I know I have to keep working hard. A lot of officials are out for themselves. Do they want to go out for the cash or to get to the next level? When Jeff sends out the pay scale and schedule, I don't even pay attention to it. I just want to go as high as I can."
An attitude like that is one of the few things Collis demands from his umpires.
"We are looking for that type of person that wants to be a better umpire. We want that kind of attitude," said Collis. "If you have that attitude, you will move up in the Fox Valley Blues. All we ask is you go out and represent us in a positive light."
St. Charles baseball coach Len Asquini has had no complaints with the Fox Valley Blues. The Saints switched to the Blues several years ago, after using another local organization.
"I love them," said Asquini. "They handle themselves real well. They are professional and they hustle. They do a big service to the game. They let the kids play the game."
Veteran umpire Jim Beveridge joined the Fox Valley Blues last year, after umpiring the last nine years in Ohio.
"The one thing that Jeff has going for him is quality," said Beveridge. "You have to work hard to get better games. And, he takes the time to train. Jeff just does a great job working his crew. He gets a lot more quality out of the crew and he has a lot less guys."
The training Beveridge referred to has also been a key in the development of the group. Triple A umpire Jeff Kowalczyk, who works in the Pacific Coast League, is a frequent guest to the sessions, which number 5 to 6 a year.
"That is what we need. We want to get people on the right page and doing the same things," said Collis, who is also a stickler on dress.
"The first thing we did when we started this is we evoked a dress code," added Collis, whose umpires wear the same navy blue shirts, state mandated gray slacks and embroidered hats. "It used to be where one guy would have a black sweater and gray pants and the other would have a blue shirt and black pants. That is the stereotype we had to overcome."
When asked where to put his group on the ladder of local groups, Collis wasn't bashful.
"I can now make the statement that we are one of the best umpiring groups around. With the momentum we have built, we have built a reputation as an up-and-coming group. We are the most exciting umpire group in the area. When people see the FVB patch, we get instant respect. The sky is the limit for us."
Funny what a little professionalism and hard work will do.
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Operating in Northern Illinois since 1995, the Fox Valley Blues Umpires Association has built a reputation as a top umpires association with our fresh approach. 
We serve much of the Chicago metropolitan area, including McHenry, Lake, Kane, northwest Cook, DuPage, DeKalb, and Kendall counties.
