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As a 20 year old (young enough to be a son of almost all members of this forum), I feel the need to respond on several fronts.
CanadaUmp: I feel the same way as you at times in regard to assignors. I too think I'm a good official, and get praise after I work a game from my partners. That being said, I still have loads to learn, mainly about game management and quirky rules interps. I do my best on the rules stuff, as that knowledge can be attained just be reading and rereading. Regarding game management - some naturally have it. Stories like ozzy's son show that. I do not have it yet, but constantly work on it. Its difficult to manage a game well when you have a lousy partner, which is what I am most of the time stuck with since I can't do HS ball due to being away for college. By the time I get home, the season is almost started, and I work my way into the crap shoot of umpires that is summer ball. I'll work with good partners occasionally, and not good ones other times. My experience tells me that you just have to keep working hard and if you deserve it, you'll get it.
Last year I got slightly upset when I wasn't working any adult league games. I thought my assignors were just assuming I couldn't handle it, even when they never saw me umpire (honestly, I've never had an assignor for big field ball evaluate or observe me). But then I realized, its not that he doesn't think I'm good enough, its that he already has good enough guys to do these games!
So you have to break into that threshold, which can be hard because politics could be played depending on your association. The only way to do it is through hard work and constant, honest vigilance on your performance.
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