Back when Alex Pufhal was playing Little League baseball it seemed as though there weren’t enough umpires. In fact, some of his games were officiated by a lone elderly man who wasn’t very mobile.

Several years later, when he was living in Raymond and the Windham Little League was looking for umpires, Pufhal, then just out of high school, thought he’d do his part to help out. Now, 13 years later, he’s still giving his time to Little League.

“I like working with the coaches, the kids, fellow umpires – all the people,” says Pufhal, who will turn 32 this week. “It’s an all-volunteer experience, but it’s very rewarding.”

Umpires who demonstrate that they are the most skilled at the position receive other rewards as well. They are chosen to work district, state and regional tournaments.

The best of that bunch is selected to make the calls at the Little League World Series, either at the well known baseball championship in Williamsport, Penn., for 12-year-olds, or one of the other seven baseball or softball championships.

Pufhal, who now lives in Gorham, will be leaving Tuesday for Portland, Ore., as one of 12 umpires chosen worldwide to work the Little League Softball World Series.

In the past Pufhal has worked a number of district and state tournaments, as well as three Eastern regional softball tournaments.

“After you do the regionals, you get evaluated and selected for the World Series,” he says. “It’s quite an honor.”

Pufhal, who says hat he keeps up with rule changes by attending umpiring classes and studying the rule books, is the sixth ump in the past decade from Maine’s District 6 – the greater Portland area – to be selected to work a World Series.

Two other umpires from the district, Jim Ward of Portland and Peter Godsoe of North Yarmouth, are working the Eastern regionals this year. Ward is just finishing up at the softball tournament in Albany, NY, and Godsoe will start this weekend at the baseball regional in Bristol, Conn.

The softball World Series that Pufhal is working is scheduled to run from Aug. 10 to 16.