[gsf23]

Congrats.

My first ever fast-pitch game was NAIA district playoffs. I was in college and had done mostly baseball, both high school and amateur and then slow-pitch for about 5 years.

Our college was hosting the district playoffs and two of the three umpires scheduled to work rode together and got into a car accident on the way to the game and weren’t going to make it that day. No one else was available in the area so our coach gives me a call and asks if I can work it. I really wasn’t that willing to do it being it was playoffs, but after some convincing I said alright.

I had never been more nervous for a game ever. I get there about an hour before game time and my partner, there were just two of us for the day, pregames with me, gives me a crash course in the positions on the field and some rotations and a few other things I should look for. To add to that, at the time I was taking a softball/baseball officiating class at the college and my entire class came out to write up critiques of the umpires.

First game went good, had some bangers but I sold them well and didn’t get any complaints. Just when I am starting to relax, my partner tells me I’m doing the plate for the next game. Again, no problems and partner said I had a great zone and kept it consistent through out the game. Third game back in the field and again things went smooth. All in all I had a blast, got my foot in the door in the college game and really got a boost to the self-confidence on the field.

Hope your experience will be as great as mine was and good luck.