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Honestly, at least in my neck, I never encountered any issues with equipment. Coaches never challenged opposing teams, and, quite frankly, I really didn't go looking for violations.
My opinion, if NFHS doesn't want umpires to do pre-checks anymore, why should we bother looking while the game is in progress? I didn't think the pre-game checks were that big a deal to begin with. They didn't take long to do, especially after NFHS required teams to put equipment outside the dugouts. Why there were umpires out there whining about having to do them is beyond me.
Now, if I had come across something blatantly obvious, I would have stopped the game and directed it get taken care of. But I just didn't make it an effort to look for a missing screw on the catcher's helmet as she turned around to ask me a question or anything like that.
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"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker
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