[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by Whowefoolin

How faithful do you stay to your first association? They give you your first asignments. They teach you what you know today. However, the association is not moving in the same direction as you want to go.

They are staying at the same level as they have always advertised, you want to move up...but they need you for numbers.

Any advise? Anyone been put in this situation? Anyone with the same association they originally started with?

In my area there are 2 associations, the HS association which has a paid assignor (employed by the school district) and the Summer / fall Ball assignor(s).

I have no allegance to the HS assignor. Why!

I do not like to make "blanket" statements, so I'll stick to MY area only. In general the HS association is very political. Every Year when I receive my assignment sheet for the upcoming season at the bottom of the form in bold black letters is the following:

ANY RETURNED ASSIGNMENTS CAN ADVERSELY EFFECT YOUR RATING

What does returned assignments have to do with the quality of umpiring? - Answer - Nothing. In addition, the assignment sheets come well in advance of the upcoming season. My son plays ball and I have work committments, so it's virtually impossible for me to fill out with any degree of cirtainty, my availability for the HS season, therefore, I know "going into the season" I will have many changes from my original submittal.

Family comes first and sometimes the HS assignor doesn't see it that way. Therefore, in HS, the umpires who get the good assignments are not necessarily the most qualified, but they are available.

Summer / Fall ball season is different. I work for many assignors. I work approx 60 miles from home, so during the week it's easier to take an assignment around my job, then try and get home in time to take an assignment in my local area.

However, having said that my FIRST allegance is to my Summer / Fall Ball assignor who I greatly admire and have been working for for several years now. He got me started and also understands fully about family etc.

Therefore, my recommendation is: Show your allegance to the assignor(s) that show YOU allegance. As far as moving up, what do you mean?

In the HS / Summer / Fall Programs, my assignor covers a wide range of ball from the men's leagues, the CWBL( Collegiate Wood Bat), Legion, Connie Mack to the youth leagues (Sandy Kofax / Mickey Mantle, some Babe Ruth etc.)

If by moving up you mean the collegiate level other than a CWBL league, then you have to go a "different route", as those assignments are ususally handled by someone else other than one's local HS assignor or summer / fall ball assignor. In addition, collegiate work probably involves a lot more travel time.

Pete Booth

[Edited by PeteBooth on Dec 4th, 2001 at 08:53 AM]