Thanks for the responses so far. Technically, our association really doesn't have a formal mentoring program. This gentleman used my name as a reference when he joined up this year, and the assignor and the president of the league both got the bright idea for me to become his mentor. So they assigned him to work with me a few times at lower level games so I can "keep an eye" on him at the same time. But I'm the type to really get into the game, and it's starting to throw me off a bit. I will have to give some of the ideas you are throwing out a shot.

I try to give him some feedback between innings on maybe 1 thing that came up during the inning, and then save the longer discussions for the end of the game. I've also encouraged him to come watch me work which he's planning to do one night this week. I hope he follows through. I'm also thinking of going to one of his games to observe. I'll also take the advice of having a fellow blue who's in the park, but not playing or working another field to come observe too if that can happen.

I remember what it was like when I started out. I started out in a small town, where we were pretty much on our own after registering with the state ASA. I was just lucky that the ball association there pulled in vets from the area who knew me from my younger days, and were great with feedback after the games. I never really had a mentor, although I did have a couple of umpires I would talk things over with when we had the chance. When I moved to the metro area, the association here at the time didn't have a mentoring program, but luckily I bumped into some umpires who had seen me play before, or I had played against them, and we worked from that.

This is why trying to be a "semi-formal" mentor and a partner at the same time is a new thing to me, and I'm having a so-so handle on it. Hence, my scream for advice! Thanks again.