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1. Regards school Ball. Having officiated Football and basketball and always having decent changing facilities, I finally asksed an AD last week why umpires weren't provided with the same consideration. His response? Nobody asked. He has assured me that his school will provide locker room facilities for umpires just as it does for other officials.
I checked in with another AD whose response was, "Most umpires pull up about 15 minutes before game time and don't leave enough time to go to the locker room and change before a game. If they get here on time and ask, they can use the officials room like any other official."
Lesson: Ask to use the facilities and allot enought time to change at the school.
2. Summer ball: Most fields here are either at schools which are locked up or at fields with no facilities. In the past I arrived dressed. At times I had to change at work. When I had the plate, I put my gear on in the parking lot. Since I wear plate pants its easy to get the guards under the pant legs.
This year I'm trying something new. I've constructed a portable dressing room that I can put together and take apart easily and carry in my car. It is made of curtains and poly pipe and is 40" by 40" by 60". I will set it up at the rear of my Subaru wagon and be able to change and still see over the top of it.
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