What are your goals for your umpiring career?

DaveASA/FED

Ok the post about ASA rules and the twist I has taken got me thinking. What are your goals for your umpiring career? I know there are various levels of umpires here from brand new to VERY experienced so this could be a wide range of answers, but I think it is intersting to know what people on here are striving to achieve out of their career.

I know personally I have obtained a lot of my goals, so I keep setting higher ones to work for.

Currently mine are to
1) Umpire a USA/ASA Gold tournament
2) Umpire a FED state finals
Stretch goal:
Qualify for ASA Elite status

Welpe

Right now it is simply to decide if I want to start working fast pitch again. If I do, working towards a National would probably be my first goal.

Slow pitch, have some fun and make some money. There's really nothing else I can do locally.

Skahtboi

I achieved my biggie this past year with the State HS tournament, so now I guess I would have to say get good enough at the college game (and work enough games) to at least work a regional. That, and maybe one day get my ISF cert, though I doubt that I will ever use it.

DeputyUICHousto

DaveASA/FED wrote
Ok the post about ASA rules and the twist I has taken got me thinking. What are your goals for your umpiring career? I know there are various levels of umpires here from brand new to VERY experienced so this could be a wide range of answers, but I think it is intersting to know what people on here are striving to achieve out of their career.

I know personally I have obtained a lot of my goals, so I keep setting higher ones to work for.

Currently mine are to
1) Umpire a USA/ASA Gold tournament
2) Umpire a FED state finals
Stretch goal:
Qualify for ASA Elite status

I think at this stage of my career its almost time to retire.

NCASAUmp

Well, I'm finishing up my 16th year, which means I've umpired a shade over half my life (I'm 31). I've already called in one National, called some State tourneys, and called a few thousand games in my lifetime. Had my ups, had plenty of downs, but I still enjoy doing it.

I think I have only two goals:

1 - Keep doing my job as best I can, and take things one game, one call at a time.
2 - Eventually, do this long enough and keep learning my job well enough that I might train the next round of rookies.

Beyond that, that's it. If I get more "big games," wonderful! If not, no biggie. I've done my service, and will continue to do my service as long as I can.

Andy

My goal is to be the very best umpire that I can be.

I will work to attain that goal by attending clinics, studying the rules, and asking for feedback from other umpires I respect. Whatever level that gets me to will be great.

I learned a while back not to set goals of working a national tournament or a state final HS game or NCAA regionals. I would beat myself up when those assignments didn't come and I saw other officials who I did not have a high opinion of in those games.

I also choose not to play some of the games that may be necessary to get those assignments. I choose to let my work on the field speak for me. If that's good enough...so be it.

I strive to always keep learning and trying to be a better umpire.

CajunNewBlue

To give back to new umpires like some umpires have given to me.

NCASAUmp

CajunNewBlue wrote
To give back to new umpires like some umpires have given to me.

The lumps or the help? 😉

CajunNewBlue

NCASAUmp wrote
The lumps or the help? 😉

wanna say both.... but im leaning towards "help" 🙂

whiskers_ump

Been at this for 51 years.

Done 15 Nationals, [AFA & NAFA] [Plate on 2 championship and bases on 2]
Was in the tournament on Sunday, all but twice.

UIC'D two Nationals.

Done 17 State tournaments, ASA, AFA, USFA. UIC'D two.

Have done 2 ASA Regionals.
Both times selected to be there on the final day.

No brags, just stating the results.

Most of all, I have enjoyed every year and time I have been on the field.
The game has come a long way.

Have met several of the board members and worked with some. All good
umpires who give their best to the game.

Did I meet all my goals? Only goal I set was to do my very best every time
I stepped on the field and to have fun.

NCASAUmp

whiskers_ump wrote
Been at this for 51 years.

Done 15 Nationals, [AFA & NAFA] [Plate on 2 championship and bases on 2] Was in the tournament on Sunday, all but twice.

UIC'D two Nationals.

Done 17 State tournaments, ASA, AFA, USFA. UIC'D two.

Have done 2 ASA Regionals.
Both times selected to be there on the final day.

No brags, just stating the results.

Most of all, I have enjoyed every year and time I have been on the field. The game has come a long way.

Have met several of the board members and worked with some. All good umpires who give their best to the game.

Did I meet all my goals? Only goal I set was to do my very best every time I stepped on the field and to have fun.

Man, all I can say is... Bravo. My cap's off to you, sir!

Scooby

NCAA
-Get into the Big Ten
-Work a Regional and Super Regional

ASA
-Invited to a National every 2-3 years
-Work a Gold
-Elite

FED
-Woark a State Final

CelticNHBlue

60 years on the field (only because Whiskers is already over 50)

ASA MMFP National
WCWS
ISC World Tournament
ASA Regional UIC

Train at least one umpire to do the same
Train numerous umpires to achieve their goals

whiskers_ump

CelticNHBlue wrote
60 years on the field (only because Whiskers is already over 50)

ASA MMFP National
WCWS
ISC World Tournament
ASA Regional UIC

Train at least one umpire to do the same
Train numerous umpires to achieve their goals

Congratulations.

I like the last two entries.

MNBlue

ASA
District 11 UIC
Women's A FP National

NCAA
Big 10
Regional
Super Regional
WCWS

NFHS
Train the umpires in my association so they can achieve the assignments I have had.

bkbjones

I asked one of our fellow umpires this question.

His reply:
to eat all of SRW's granola bars.:eek:

SRW

bkbjones wrote
I asked one of our fellow umpires this question.

His reply:
to eat all of SRW's granola bars.:eek:

Perhaps I'll deliver a box to him tonight at L.W.

😉

wadeintothem

My goals keep changing..since I've already done more than I ever thought I would in umpiring, especially fast pitch... I would like to do gold in OKC, I would like a new career which would allow me to work Pac 10. I've been invited to work an ISC mens qualifier in NV next year, if selected from there I would work the Mens World Fastball Tournament (FP of course), which would be reaching a goal I didnt even know I had. When I started this, while I was none to found of people in blue, all I knew was I could earn a few bucks while coaching.. now coaching is a distant memory and my passion is the blue.

topper

Like most on my side of the softball ladder, the ultimate goal is the WCWS.

In the meantime, the trust of the coaches and umpires that I work with is very inportant to me. Gaining that trust is something I work towards every time I step on the field.

IRISHMAFIA

wadeintothem wrote
..... all I knew was I could earn a few bucks while coaching.. now coaching is a distant memory and my passion is the blue.

Coaching? So that's your problem! 😉