[streamdoc]

As a new umpire (2nd year) I have a couple of suggestions.

First, as others have said, you really have to be sure that the new umps are open to what you have to say. If they are not, they have much bigger problems, and you are probably wasting everyone's time. I always ask questions, before, during and after games - to the point that I'm sure that I drive my veteran umpires a bit crazy (right, John?).

Second, Don't overload your mentoree with every observation that you see during a game. I find that there are certain aspects of my game that, if told to correct them during a game, will actually lead to a worse performance (strike zone, for example).

Third, have him/her tell you what they thought of how they handled a certain situation rather than just telling them how to do it. For example, when I missed a ball hitting a batter as she was running up the 1st base line, my veteran umpire watching quized me on why I missed it. I had to determine why I was out of position, and what I should have done differently. It helped me to think about such plays, and how to position myselft correctly to avoid similar situations in the future.

Finally, I thank you for taking this project on, even though it has become a burden at times. We, as new umpires need people like you, and the good ones that have taught me, to help us become that best that we can be.