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I guess it's time for me to come clean. I joined NSA this year. The reason for doing that is pretty simple. I wanted to work more games, especially since my DD was not playing summer ball this year. In this area, ASA just does not have many tournaments, and by that I mean there might be one in my district each year. I have done every thing but get down on my knees and begged for the chance to work tournaments, but never get a response. Every year I see my district UIC at all the ASA clinics and schools, and I usually work at least one volleyball match with him, and I always mention to him that I really want to work, and nothing happens. If I lived in Terre Haute or Indianapolis, or maybe Merrillville I suppose I might get a chance to work some games, but in this area ASA is only active in slow pitch, and I don't get asked to do many of those games either. I've pretty much determined that my UIC doesn't like me, for whatever reason. I know I'm not an easy person to like...I'm a very quiet person who keeps to myself and wants to get home to my family when I'm done instead of meeting for adult beverages...but I really don't know what I might have done to fall in disfavor with him.
So I decided to join NSA. I submitted my registration on a Tuesday and that same weekend I was working a tournament. I was asked to show up on Friday at 4:00, and since I wanted to watch a game to see the umpires work I showed up at 3:00 and found the UIC. She asked me to get dressed and go work the bases on a game that was starting in 5 minutes. I worked four games that night, and nine the next day. She wanted me to work on Sunday also, but I could barely move after all those games. Heck, I hadn't worked 13 ASA fast pitch games in the six years I've been a part of ASA. I've worked a couple of other NSA tournaments since then, and I could not be happier about the fact that I have had some excellent partners, and that they are just as pleased to work with me as I am to work with them. My partners have always complimented my rules knowledge, my mechanics and my hustle, and my UIC has had nothing but good things to say about my umpiring. That has relieved my insecurity that perhaps my ASA UIC didn't like me because I sucked as an umpire. Yes, I always give credit to my ASA training whenever I am complimented.
Yes, I have taken my (paid) ASA training to work NSA games. I also took that (paid) ASA training to work NFHS games in previous years. It wasn't an easy decision for me to start working NSA. For three years, I was being recruited by an NSA guy to go work for them. I resisted because I do love ASA, and I am a loyal person. I bought in to that perception that NSA umpires sucked. My experience is that they are very good umpires, and nice people as well. I'm 100% sure that I will work NSA again, and I'm 100% sure that I will continue to join ASA just so I can have that card in my wallet, even though I know I won't get any games from them. I'm not asking for forgiveness, just sharing my personal experiences as someone who has taken that excellent ASA training that is second to none and applied it to a different organization.
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