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Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve
Let me add; I also have a strategy to counter manpower shortage resulting in wanting to use one umpire. In several of our youth associations, I actively recruit older youths to be base umpires in their own program's younger ages. We provide training for them, the league pays for them to register as ASA umpires, the league provides a scheduler/coordinator to schedule youth umpires to their games. Our adult umpire gets the standard $36 if a youth umpire calls the bases; $54 if the youth no shows. The league pays the youth umpires $15 when they do work; pretty decent money for girls 14 to 16 or 17, better than they can get babysitting.
These are players in the older ages, so they have some general game knowledge to begin with; but every one has learned more about the game from the new perspective. We gain the needed manpower to continue using two umpires, the league gets two umpire coverage at the same basic cost (after paying ASA registrations), and we have had several of these youth umpires take the step up after a few years, and joined our ranks as "adult" umpires. Everyone wins; one league has partnered with me in this program for about 7 years, now; another for 4 years.
It could work for your area, too; try it.
Editted to add:
Back to the OP, the coaches and parents learn real quickly not to yell or attack the youth umpires; 1) the adult umpire will step up to protect them, 2) because the league bought in to the program, any issues are dealt with quickly and firmly, and 3) since these girls come from their own league, they may face the youth's parents (who are often coaches and board members). It brings a different (and calming) perspective to the games.
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Man your fees are way up there.. I would LOVE to try that type of stuff.. unfortunately its a rec league that doesnt really opperate that way ..
Some great ideas though.. I would like to solve the problem or do something.. this year an adult parent first tried to climb the fence to get on the field, fell off the fence, then charged the field at the umpire resulting in a huge mess, a forfeit and banning from the league of a parent. The umpire, a 15 y/o rookie, not to mention my daughter, had her hands full. She made me proud though.. and she WASNT one of the ones who refused to work anymore because of the way the 10Us act.
That said, somethings gotta be done and I am going to discuss it at length at the board meeting.
I may suck as an umpire, but that dont matter cuz I know one tough girl who will be working the CWS
