SAXONBURG — Watching softball games at Laura Doerr Park, 11-year-old Christian McLafferty decided to make himself useful.

“I always came to the field to watch my little sister (Cayla) play,” he said. “They needed umpires at the games, so I decided to give it a try.”

So did his father and grandfather.

That was 16 years ago. And Christian, now 27, his 52-year-old father Bruce and 77-year-old grandfather Jim McLafferty are still at it.

At times, two of them work games together. At other times, all three are at the ball fields doing games — and plenty of them.

“Christian was able to start at age 11 because anyone can umpire games involving age classifications younger than themselves,” Bruce McLafferty said. “He came home that day and told us about the umpiring opportunities that were there.

“Dad and I enjoy softball and baseball, so we decided to join him.”

The trio umpire slow and fast-pitch softball from April through the end of July, from the 8-year-olds on up to the adult leagues. They pick up with the fall ball schedule as well.

Bruce used to coach his children in youth ball. Jim was always a fan of the sport.

“I've watched baseball all my life,” Jim McLafferty said. “I knew softball, too. All I had to do was brush up on the rules.”

All three annually pass the written test and work close to 70 games per season.

“I played ball here (at Laura Doerr) up until age 12 and again when I was 16,” Christian said. “This is a nice way to stay involved.”

The topic of umpiring comes up quite often in family conversations.

“We bounce things off each other all the time,” Bruce said. “I may have a disputed or an odd call or situation to deal with in a game and I'll ask the other two how they would have handled it.

“We provide each other feed-back and we make each other better.”

The trio live only a few miles apart — all in close proximity of Laura Doerr Park — and often car-pool together.

They pick up their game schedules online.

“I let Dad know his schedule because he doesn't have a computer,” Bruce said. “When I check on my games, I check on his.”

Though he didn't begin umpiring until he was 61, Jim McLafferty doesn't plan on giving it up any time soon.

“As long as I'm physically able,” he said. “If I can get out from behind the plate and get in position to make a call on the bases, I can keep doing this.

“I enjoy getting out and about. I'm not one to just sit around.”

Having retired from full-time work at age 62, Jim McLafferty still drives a school bus part-time.

While the trio tolerate the normal backlash that umpires do — “Half the people are gonna be mad at you regardless of the call,” Bruce says — they recognize they're filling a need.

“There's always a need for umpires,” Bruce said. “I've taken games on two hours notice before. If I can get there, I'll do it.”

This trio does more than umpire together. They join Charles Risch — Christian's other grandfather — in the Worthington Golf League at Hiland.

“We enjoy spending time together,” Christian said.