COLORADO SPRINGS — Here in Colorado Springs, there is a shortage of umpires. I'm speaking with veterans in our community who are stepping up to the plate to fill the gap.
"There's a shortage of officials in the country. Most folks that take the field get invited out because there's nobody else to do it," said Dave Dusza, who helps train umpires.
Dusza is part of Protect the Game, a non-profit that helps our military community and their families get free umpire training.
"A lot of our military and veteran communities who are in that transition process struggle to kind of find purpose," said Dusza. "But, this kind of gives them something to look forward to."
He says getting involved can have a bigger impact… even off the field.
"When you're getting thanked for being out there and the parents and kids are appreciative that you're willing to step on that field, it's a sense of pride that, again, is often lost when somebody transitions out of the military," said Dusza.
This group of veterans will soon join hundreds of others who, through this program, can contribute by calling a game.
Colorado Springs students react to Trump's involuntary collection of defaulted student loans
The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday that it will begin collections on defaulted loans starting May 5. We spoke to local students about their feelings on the call.