[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Around these parts, the FED baseball and softball groups are two separate entities. If you're doing baseball, attendance is mandatory for at least eight two-hour meetings and a field clinic. Your first year, you must pass the FED test with a minimum of 80% or you'll never step foot on the field.

Your first year will be sub-varsity games only. Your second year requires more mandatory classroom time, another test (this one closed-book), another passing score and another field clinic to advance. Before getting your first varsity games you must schedule and pass a "live" game evaluation performed by two senior members of the local association.

Similar in requirement if you want regionals.. not so much just to work. In fact, I am known, and have been asked to cover NFHS BB and NEVER attended a NFHS BB meeting ever (same assigning organization for FP and BB)... I declined out of fairness to myself and the players (I dont know NFHS BB rules, only OBR).

In short, it takes a lot more than "paying your dues and going to a couple meetings" to get assigned to FED baseball in this area. And there's no getting certified for both FED baseball and softball in one association. If you want to do softball, too, then you have to go through a similar process with a different group.

Same here, technically, you must do both.

I wish that our local ASA group had half as much training. They truly are closer to "pay and show up". You need only attend two meetings and pay your dues to get put on the field. The ASA test is not required and neither are any local clinics or evaluations.

Well, the clinics are always mandatory. Aside from that.. it depends on what you want to do for Travel... Prior to this year, there was an informal process whereby the assignor pretty much knew everyone and where to put them. Now in our area, it is a formal evaluation process with levels. The criteria for each level is fairly strict. I work 18 Golds and Mens FP so have nearly met the highest level for non-elite umpires (but have a few more edges to smooth out) and hopefully can get elite in the next few years.

I also teach my own clinic for my own local, most of whom just work the Rec and Beer league.

There are the umpires who just do that, and I wouldnt think it should be more than "pay your dues and attend a clinic" to get on the field. Beyond that, it is up to the UIC's to provide training OJT.

(We do happen to have the National Umpire School coming to our state this year and I hope to avail myself of that opportunity.)

I'll be in Dublin for the National School this weekend.. should be great fun (will be my 3rd of 4 clinics this year!)

MIKE should come out and be a surprise guest speaker!

Then there are the other "alphabet soups" playing one form of ball or the other- NSA, USSA, PONY, LL, etc.- which truly are "pay and you're in", with no training or testing required at all.

LOL! The ASF offered a free shirt and membership.. NO CLINIC.. to work their little mens FP thing.

Lame.

Baseball or softball- for me, neither is better than the other. But the training and certification for baseball in this area far exceeds anything that is offered for softball. Only FED baseball comes close, and ASA is a very distant third.

I just have to disagree there in general with that principle for those who want to advance..

I would agree, if you want to toss a cold one back and trot onto the beer league fields with the good ole boys.. you dont have to do much..

If you want high level regionals and nationals and top level tournies.. quite a bit of training, evaluation, and hard work is required... at least in our area.