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Originally Posted by SAump
Both teams will chew UP your strike zone during the game. Do NOT react to comments from the bench. At this point, they know more than YOU. Until you learn to handle those obvious situations, do not attempt to address the comments from the peanut gallery. Keep your eyes on the field and your ears down. Focus on the strike zone, timing and think of the tremendous feedback your getting from both teams. Work on that strike zone all game long. If you follow this advice, by the end of the game, you will have become a better umpire.
If you follow this advice the entire season, you will be gladly accepted by the coaching and playing fraternity. If you get annoyed and begin to react to those catcalls, imagine a million people watching who haven't heard a thing. If you let those catcalls affect the quality of the rest of the game, you're now open to making a mistake later in the game. Concentrate on your job and let the bench jockeys have their way today. Focus on the things that will make you better.
The best advice I can offer is to find a good way to RELAX. You also don't want to appear tense, mechanical or look "like a rookie." Somehow, you got to send a message that you have played this game before. Good luck and have a great season.
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For the most part, I usually agree with your posts, this is not one of those times. Ignoring a little bit of sniping, okay, maybe. But under no circumstances should an umpire show up at any level of baseball thinking that the players and managers know more than he does. Remember that players, coaches and managers will cheat any chance they get, if they didn't, we wouldn't have a job.
You've obviously worked well enough to get to this level, don't change a thing for your first game. Improve from there though.