The Arizona sun is high in the sky above a softball field where a game is about to start. The players in each dugout begin cheering loudly for their teammates, as the first pitch is fired to home. 

“STRIKE,” the home plate umpire yells, breaking up the chatter of the players. The fans begin talking to each other, commenting on how happy they are that the umpire is taking charge and being loud. However, there is something they don’t know.

This umpire is deaf.

Tim King was raised in Tennessee and has been officiating high school sports for nearly half of his life. He got his start calling games in college while at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn. King was born deaf and has learned different ways of communicating with players and coaches, ranging from reading lips to using hand signals.

“I’ve been an official for 32 years,” King said. “I’ve done softball, baseball, basketball  and football.”

King has officiated NCAA softball games and credits his love of sports and the people he has met through them as the reason he has been an official for so long. He also says that he has never faced any mistreatment from any other officials during his time in Arizona.

“I’ve had no problems,” King said. “Because I don’t work by myself. We work together. We work as a team.”

Fellow umpire Richard Yee is in his first season as an Arizona Interscholastic AssociationI official and has worked with King on a handful of contests, including a softball game between Gilbert and Desert Mountain on March 24.

“Every game that I have worked with Tim so far has been a pleasure,” Yee said. “He is so knowledgeable and consistent. He’s a great umpire and a true inspiration.”

Umpire Tim King has been a high school and collegiate sports official for over 30 years. (Photo by Brevin Monroe/AZPreps365)

The Gilbert softball team has made an extra attempt to make King feel more welcome behind the plate.

“This is our second game with him,” Gilbert softball head coach Morgan Zebe said. “Some of our girls are in ASL (American Sign Language) and they love being able to communicate with him. I think this just goes to show you can push through adversity no matter what it is.”

Desert Mountain softball head coach Chris Fredricks echoed Zebe’s sentiment and complimented King on his umpiring ability.

“I think this is a great life lesson for kids that anyone can do anything no matter what,” Fredricks said. “He’s a great ump. He’s consistent. His strike zone is consistent, and he makes the right calls.”

After the final out was recorded, the players lined up to shake hands. The scoreboard was already shut off and fans were picking up lawn chairs. And there was King, walking off the field, umpire mask in hand, a smile on his face, another job well done.

(Brevin Monroe is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover High School Sports for AZPreps365.com).