Miroslawa Cumba: "Women umpires made history in Cuba, now we need to keep working hard

Meet the 43-year-old umpire from Guantanamo who made history in the 62nd Cuban National League alongside three other women who are breaking barriers and blazing a trail for women in the country.

Miroslawa Cumba played a pivotal role as part of the trailblazing all-female umpiring crew that made history in the 62nd Cuban National League (which is streamed live on the WBSC OTT Channel GameTime) last month. Alongside, crew chief Janet Moreno, Yalili Acosta and Milagros Quiñones, Cumba took her place behind home plate, calling balls and strikes on this historic day.

During an interview with reporter Duanys Hernández Torres, Cumba shared her journey into baseball officiating.

"I started eight years ago in my province with a municipal tournament for kids in the 11-12 age group. I worked in all the categories until I was called as a reserve for the National Series four years ago,” Cumba explained.

Having worked eight years umpiring youth baseball, Cumba knew she had the knowledge and experience to officiate with the best. When asked about the significance of being part of the pioneering four-woman umpiring crew, Cumba said: "It was emotional because it was the first time. We saw two or three women working at lower levels, particularly in women's baseball. We made it to the next level."

Cumba acknowledged the role of National Commissioner Margarita Mayeta in refining her skills as an umpire. "National Commissioner Margarita Mayeta has appointed me to various tournaments. Last year I was privileged to work the Caribbean Cup in the Dominican Republic," Cumba said.

Others have also played a key role in providing opportunities to talented female umpires to help break down barriers, including former international umpire César Valdés. "He always supported women umpires. He always believed in us, and we made it to the National League thanks to him," shared Cumba.

Having broken this ground, Cumba is determined to continue improving. She emphasised: "As an umpire, you can't look back. You need to improve constantly. Working is the only thing you can do to improve."

Cumba's journey as a trailblazing umpire in Cuba’s National League serves as an inspiration to aspiring women umpires and a testament to the advancements being made in promoting gender equality in baseball officiating. With her unwavering dedication, Cumba is setting a remarkable example for women in the world of sports.