All comparisons to ASA are generic as I am not aware of which sanctioning body kellerumps is referring.
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Originally posted by kellerumps
The reason I question the santioning bodies is because of our story.
My wife and I are both NCAA Div 1 Umpires who work major conferences but never much summer ball due to where we live. A couple of years ago, we were contacted by a local UIC to see if we were interested in working states. We said sure, we just want to call some ball.
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Purely semantics, but just to make sure some rooks don't misunderstand, there is no such thing as a NCAA softball umpire of any division, at least not yet. You and your wife are umpires who work NCAA softball games.
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Anyway, that spring, the advanced clinic that umpires must attend every year to be eligible to work states was held on the first Sunday of our college season.
We were told point blank by our State UIC that if we didn't attend this clinic then we could not work states. I understand that you must have a way to evaluate umpires, but in our area, sometimes I believe that they are to hard core in their stances.
Is that the sactioning body??? Or is it the State UIC??? Don't know....I just know some people over our State UIC came to our defense and helped us out.
If an umpire is good enough to work states, then use them!!!! Don't hold a $30 clinic over their head or at least offer the clinic in the fall or late January BEFORE some of us get going.
Do we want the good tournaments...You bet...We both have goals and doing the good tournaments will help achieve them. If nothing else, it will keep us sharp for our college stuff.
This past summer our ratings were good and right now, we already have our schedules for next summer's state tournaments. We will fill in with local stuff now.
Is our situation an isolated incident???? Maybe, but I know of alot of good umpires who are not used in states because they didn't attend a clinic for whatever reason.
Don't get me wrong, we are not bitter....We just want to call some ball!!!!!
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It is probably the State/Metro by-laws which require umpires to attend at least one state or regional clinic to qualify for state tournaments. This is a good thing. I have found (and you will see posts about these types on here) too many umpires will skate as long as you allow them to get away with it.
There are too many rule changes, not only within ASA, but the other sanctioning bodies for a "green" to keep up and be on top of their game without attending a clinic of whatever organization you are working. Reading the rule book just doesn't cut it sometimes.
The only time an umpire is charged for ANY training around here is the State School which is required within an umpire's first three years of joining ASA and that is $15. All other clinics are free of charge.
There is also an issue of being fair to all umpires. Why should you and your wife be able to just step right into some great games without meeting the same requirements imposed on other umpires? What if you committed to an ASA function and then found out it was the same day as a required clinic to work NCAA ball? Would you expect or be permitted to skip the NCAA clinic and still work college ball? If not, why would you expect anything less from other sanctioning bodies? Obviously, these questions are rhetorical as I have no knowledge of the requirements which are demanded of you to work NCAA ball.
An exemption to work certain tournaments I could understand, but to just give you a pass because you work college ball just wouldn't be fair to others.
I'm not being judgmental of you and your wife, or insinuating that either of you fall into any particular catagory above, just voicing the concerns with which I deal on a regular basis.
JMHO,