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A) Be professional, dress the part, clean clothing, sharp cress in the pants, clean hat (keep one for the field & one for bases)
B) Give respect when it's due, be courteous, polite and be an authority figure. This may the first and last time a player or coach sees you (how do you want to be remebered?)
C) Call your partner the night before, discuss your responsiablities, show up early, dress early, take the field early. BE PREPARED!
D) Do not leave the field during a game for non-life threating reasons, if you ever light a smoke, I will continue with out you and request we never umpire together again.
E) Know the rules, know when to smile & when to be an red*ss, for example, when a 15 yr pitcher does not come to full stop, tell him to do so, tell him why and that next time you will call a balk. Let his coach know between innings, not durning the inning with runners on bases. And never call Balk when the score is 10-0 in the thrid inning when the temp is over 100. Just let it go.......
F) Call strikes and be consistant.
G) Never talk to the caoch unless it is important to the game at hand.
H) Bring you own water, do not mooch off the players - be prepared for Petes Sake.
I) DO NOT BRING THE RULE ON THE FIELD WITH YOU!
J) If you call a balk, you better be able to expalin to the coach, If you say "It looked ugly" you are on your own.
K) Park in the parking lot stall next to your partner, if you are early, try to find shade.
L) Never ask the coach "What do you think of my zone?"
M) If you bring a beer for after the game, bring one for your partner. I bring 4 beers, two each. Threes get you trouble around here.
N) Do not make empty threats, caoches & players are like children, if you make a threat and do not act on it - then you are in for one hella' long season.
P) Do not hold a grudge
O) Do not be lazy
Q) Do not make up for a blown call, be a man and move on.
R) Have a sence of humor, smile, enjoy the game because our wives and/ or girlfriends are not there. If they are, we do not want to umpire together. DO NOT BRING A FRIEND, YOUR PARTNER IS THE ONLY FRIEND YOU HAVE THE FIELD.
S) Read, pause, react - slow your timing down, be sure and make the call. One blown call will not make or break a game. It is not a strike or an out until you say it is. If a batter walks to first befor you call it a ball and it's close. Call it a strike, you call the pitch, not him.
T) Be confident in what you do.
U) Be able to admit mistakes, ask your partner "What could I have done better?" Find the umpires you respect, work with them and ask for advice after the game. Take nots if you need to. Strive to be better.
W) Ask you partner(s) for help when needed.
X) If it your responsiblity to cover thrid during a rotation, then get there and make the call. Put a little effort into the game.
Y) Remember, the game is between two teams, umpires have no intrest in who wins.
Z) Do not project yoiur personality into the game, let it flow, if it does not flow find a way to make move along.
Just some quick thoughts from working with a few new guys. I have more but I think this might help.
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