For those working games and tournaments, absolutely. Elsewhere? It may be true where you are, not everywhere. It is amazing how many people assume that an umpire is only an umpire and has knowledge limited to that field. However, you would be wrong. Many umpires have or are still playing some level of the game, have or are still coaching at some level of the game. And there are quite a few who actually sponsor and manage teams.
I never assumed any such thing. That would be quite stupid of me given that the two people who most impacted my kid's recruitment were both umpires who also coached her or managed her team. My segregation comment was besed upon behavior I have seen at tournaments. Maybe I wasn't clear.
Did you ever notice that quite a few commissioners at all levels in all associations have umpired at one time or another? Why, you may ask? Because most umpires are in the game for the game. Not because they have a daughter playing, are looking for a scholarship, doing community service or social recognition. You should not discount an umpire's opinion just because they happen to be an umpire.
I didn't intend to discount any umpire's opinion for any reason other than being ignorant of the goings on between 18 Gold coaches in private, in general, and some of the 18 Gold coaches in SoCal in particular. My comments were based far less upon assumptions about umpire's lives/interests and much more upon observations based on what has already come out and what I do have knowledge of that would preclude me from having the opinions I "discounted." I guess I did assume that umpire's wouldn't make dumb comments when they had information that was completely contrary to what they knew to be true. I make that same assumption about most everyone.
Again, making a helluva an assumption, aren't we?
Can they spend, trade or barter with this scholarship? Does student pay income taxes on the scholarship? Are you taxed on perks received through your employment whether health insurance, use of a company vehicle, tickets to a sporting event or may even an extra night accommodations when traveling on business? Also, IMO, the actual dollar value is exaggerated. Yes, someone doesn't have to pay the tuition, but the actual cost to the school probably doesn't come close to the declared value.
If the kid isn't clearly compensated (I use as a synonym for paid) for playing, the why is the compensation predicated upon their playing? Play, get compensation. Quit, no compensation. I couldn't care less about what it costs the school. I care about how much I PAY for my kid's college education.
Because there is at least one college coach who thinks my kid will be an asset to their team, I do not have to PAY tens of thousands of dollars. If not having to pay taxes or being able to trade the scholarship or cash it out are the only criteria for what constitutes her being "paid" then you're right. If being compensated for performing a service is being "paid" for that service, then she is being paid for playing a game at the college level.
Again, and again, and again, and again....ASA's mission is to promote softball for all and at the youth level participation is based upon the player's birth date. Nowhere in the 120 pages of the ASA Code (
Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) ) will you find the words "school" or "scholarship". So, I have no idea why anyone would assume or expect special treatment for players who have yet to be offered a scholarship.
As stated many, many, many times, what is so wrong about a team playing to win a true national championship with the best players available within a classification?