[fastpitch]

Title IX - equal funds to each sport - this is hidden behind booster club fundraising. What is it saying when there is a beautiful baseball stadium at the public HS and a field and a backstop with last year's baseball bleachers for the girls. Yes, I have an attitude about it since the female athletes are short-changed. We put too much money into certain sports and offer a smaller selection of sports for the kids to take part in, boys or girls.

Of course softball umpires make mistakes but baseball umpires that think they know softball are typically arrogant and already think they know it all. I was asked to leave, never raised my voice, the girls had no idea what had happened. The umpire followed me back to the dugout when I had already attempted to leave the conversation and kept saying you have to change pitchers and I was saying whatever, then started in on the other coaches when I made mention that he obviously did not know the rules and could he bring the UIC over then he asked me to leave so I did. I could have made a fool of the umpire had I wanted but was trying to leave the area. What do you think he would have done when I brought in another pitcher, threw one pitch then brought the first pitcher back. He would have said she cannot pitch anymore. I could have said that is her sister since we had pitchers that were identical twins and no way he knew which number the pitcher was wearing.

The tournament had a lot of baseball umpires (cheaped out and did not use an ASA association) and this was just one of many examples from that particular weekend (6 or 7 years ago) I've seen lots of bad umpiring through the years, in high school ball or other than ASA. Other examples are calling girls out for not sliding when no serious contact, allowing 10U to steal home, calling girls out for leaving base early lots of times at all age levels, no clue on look back rule, no clue on legal/illegal pitches. I'm sure the more experienced umpires can list many more examples.

My favorite is the ISA umpire that called my player out for avoiding the tag, she fell to the ground and F1 ran by her and she got up and scored. Blue told me she fell out of the basepath.

As a coach with many umpire friends, I learned to always respect the umpire, it is just common sense and best for your team. I never thought umpiring would be easy and am enjoying every game I do so far.