For those of you who weren't too late, and even for those who were
, here are the twelve questions I have posed to our Olympic umpires. The questions you will get for free. The answers will be posted for members only at
eUmpire.
To those who contributed questions I say thank you. I used each and every one!
Questions:
1. What is your personal umpiring background; i.e. what path did you take to reach this point in your career?
2. What are some of the other major highlights of your umpiring career?
3. What further ambitions do you have for your career after these Olympics?
4. Are there any specific tournament rules or regulations in force for Olympic competition?
5. Have you been given any "special" game management guidelines for handling Olympic fixtures?
6. What do you think will be the problems in handling such high standard multi-lingual fixtures?
7. What three(3) things, in order of their importance, do you feel you have done so well thoughout your career that you were invited to participate at this level?
8a. How do you think the umpiring avocation has changed since you started your career?
8b. What does it feel like to be so young and yet so far advanced along the career path?
9. What might you say in answer to the skeptic who could suggest that anyone who was not born and raised in the home of baseball could not truly understand or appreciate the game at its heart?
10. How well do you believe Australian umpires compare with those you have seen from other countries and why?
11. How has being a baseball official in international competition changed your personal view of the local game?
12. If you could change only one thing about the avocation, or your participation in it, what would that one thing be and why?
Cheers, and thanks
Warren Willson
------------------
Member and Co-Moderator, UT