[Gulf Coast Blue]

Position.....Position.....Position......


Telling one on myself here........

First year in umpiring........

In early clinics and field work I was always told to never take my eye off the ball.....and I took those guys seriously.....

Women's FP Game......nobody on with no outs.....I am in "A"..........and a high fly ball is hit to shallow right field......I bust it towards the infield because the catch/no-catch is PU's call.......but "By God" I did not take my eyes off the ball......looking over my right shoulder as I am coming in.....the 19 year old D1 first baseman, who has also not taken her eye off the ball, (she is a good 5'10" 175 lbs.) plows into me and darn near knocks me off my feet.

F9 makes a good catch......F3 asks if I am OK.......

Pretty darned embarrassing..........having a "girl" ask if I was ok after a collision. I am a good 3" taller and 30 lbs heavier........(but more than 20 years older).

I know that most of the umpires here would never make this type of mistake......but there may be some "lurkers" who could learn from my mistake.

Learn when to watch the ball.......and acknowledge that when the ball is over you head and the call is no longer yours......make sure you do not interfere with the players on the field.

Joel