[nickrego]

The proper solution is to have 2 man crews for every game.

Then, you can pay the umpires less money for the sub-varsity games, in all fairness.

Then, the sub-varsity umpires would have an opportunity to develop the skills necessary to be a higher paid Varsity umpire.

As it is now, working alone, they only get good at working alone. So then you drop them on a field with a partner or two, and they fumble around like it was their first time, because they are really starting over - to a certain degree.

Schools will not pay for two umpires at the sub-varsity level, because they don't have the money, not because they don't think it’s necessary.

I worked my way up to a Varsity schedule several years ago. I love it when they assign me a sub-varsity partner. Why, they still know how to hustle, and they want to improve (to work their way up to varsity). I'd rather deal with a mess due to a new guy trying to learn, than the messes I have to deal with working with partners that are too pompous to do a good job.

I get asked about 3 or 4 times each year to fill in on a sub-varsity game. I take the assignment without hesitation. Most of our varsity umpires turn their noses up at such a demeaning idea. When I get to that point, I think it will be time for me to quit.