jicecone,
If you dont care to call LL games, so be it. The question asked by illini ref concerned a LL game. When we as umpires call games in several different organizations, we are responsible to enforce their rules as we know and understand them.
If you don't know the answer to a question about a particular organization's rules. Don't respond with misinformation as to how they are to be interpreted. If the question had been asked about a NFHS game, I would not have responded out of respect for the senior members that know FED rule applications better than I.
There was really no need to take a cut at me with your sarcastic comment. I was answering the question within my limitations, and as CoachJM pointed out there was a FACTUAL basis to the response I gave regarding LL umpire training policies.
I know that there are some on this board who do not care for the LL organization, but it is unfair to throw all LL umpires into one stereotyped class. The LL organization is the dominant organization for youth baseball in my home town. Consequently all three of my sons are involved with LL. There was really no other place to start as an umpire, except for ASA men's softball(which I hated doing!)In order to improve myself as an umpire, I have twice given up my vacation time in the spring to attend a week long umpiring camp in Indianapolis and paid all of the expenses out of my own pocket. I could have taken a fishing trip. I could have visited Disney World. I chose however to become a better umpire as others in attendence did. I belong to an association within the LL organization that holds 8 seperate clinics yearly. We meet at least once a month, year round, to pour over situations and mechanics. Each new member must serve a 1 year probationary period, and have regular evaluations by senior members before being assigned to tournament play. Then, only the most dedicated and proficient are assigned. The men and women I work with through this association are top shelf officials, and are fully dedicated to the LL organization.
It has been mentioned recently on this board by another member, that any organization is only as good as the people who represent it. When working LL games, I try my hardest to represent their organization to the best of my abiliy.
Just remember that all umpires who do LL are not " Smitty's!"
Sorry if this seems a little much, but with the LL trashing I've heard here over the past several weeks, I had the need to vent.
Tim.
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