Quote:
Originally posted by LMan
Quote:
Originally posted by LDUB
Quote:
Originally posted by LilLeaguer
I am strongly motivated to recruit and train the best volunteer umpires I can for our League ...
I have resisted so far since the pay is too low.
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So you work LL games for free, but the pay for working a HS game is too low? That dosen't make sense.
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why it's obvious! LL is "for the kids" 
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More or less.
14 years ago my first child entered a LL program. We paid our fees, watched every practice, went to every game, and probably helped out a little with player events or field prep.
The next year, when the league president called us directly, we realized what we should have know earlier. That LL is a volunteer organization that actually requires a lot of work, that the major goal is to provide a healthy activity for children in an environment of community service, and that we had previously been using more that we had been providing.
That year, I volunteered to manage a team. The next, they didn't need managers or coaches, but they always need umpires, so I gave that a try. It turns out that I may have an aptitude for that role, and I certainly enjoy it.
As long as I have children in Little League, I'll volunteer to help out in some way. Last year it was being part of the umpire pool and working as the coordinator of umpires (which also means sitting on the board). It's the result of a fairly natural progression of just being involved for that amount of time.
I value my time highly, but I value my children and the children in my community more. So LL umpiring is worth it. When I add up the cost of travel and time away from family, I don't know if paid umpiring would be.
-LL