[gordon30307]

Originally posted by kcs_hiker
Hi everybody... I have a couple of questions that maybe you all can help me with.

1) I'm 46 and just now breaking into umpiring. I've coached and played for many years, but my body (and family)is finally telling me to find a less physically stressful way to enjoy a sport that I love. Over the next 15-20 years, to what level of ball can I reasonably aspire to reach... assuming that I am a reasonably good umpire?

Youe experience will certainly help you in getting in position to make the right call assuming the play unfolds the way it should. However as we all know we can't make that assumption so you have to be ready for any eventuality. Being "ready" only comes to you after doing hundreds of games and even after that someting will happen that you've never seen before.



2) Is umpiring an art or a science? What I mean is, can I be a great umpire by working hard, studying, going to clinics and schools etc ... or is there a natural talent component that I may or may not possess?

I think it's an "art" The great umpire has a natural feel for the game and is a "people person". I think instictively the great umpire Has a look, attitude whatever you want to call it that the players and coaches respond to. That being said over time and doing many games at various levels and dealing with good guys and a**holes you can develope "art" to your fullest potential. If it was just hard work and rules knowledge than anyone could get to the "show".


3) Right now, I'm working high school softball, and will work baseball in the spring. I'm considering going to Jim Evans 5 day school over christmas break this year. Assuming that I do well in school, will that get me in the door for collegiate and/or semi-pro level games? I live in NW Missouri and am pretty close to a number of division II (MIAA) and juco schools, as well as the Northern independant semi-pro league.

No. Going to a five day clinic is a great start. It's similar to a student graduating from Med. School. He/she's a Doctor but can he/she perform open heart surgery? Most associations would start you out doing Freshman and Sophmore games after a couple of years you might get a few non-conference varsity games and after doing 4 or 5 years of High School Varsity you could move up to JUCO and after a couple of years at that level you might be ready DII or DIII.

My advice would be to do as many games as possible regardless of the level. You need to experienc all of the goofy things that can happen. You need to make mistakes (trust me you will) and to learn from them and you need to develope your people skills. Good luck.

That's good for a start... hope you all can help. Thanks.

kcs