Quote:
Originally Posted by mbcrowder
Semantics. LL creates an environment, via their choices, which excludes a lot of umpires. I'm not saying that NO good umpire would ever volunteer - obviously you (and Rich) are examples of good umpires that do volunteer. I'm saying that the policy eliminates a solid majority of the good umpires out there.
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I've probably peaked as a LL umpire. I'm not willing to put in face time at the region or make a pilgrimage to WP every few years in order to be selected. I will continue to volunteer at the local level and will continue to put in an application for regional and WS assignments. I've worked a regional and had a great time, although I'd say that of the 16 umpires at the region, I'd probably walk onto a HS field with about 5-6 of them. And this was a Senior regional, where the quality of play was actually pretty good.
It disappoints me that LL doesn't realize that assigning an umpire is an important task. Clearly, the regions do not find it important as long as they have decent enough guys to work the plate on televised games -- the other umpires can be volunteers with poor timing, poor mechanics, and little incentive to improve as umpires. I am a member of a LL umpire mailing list where the mindset is, "It's OK that the umpire punched the BR out with the ball rolling by the fence. We're all learning here." Listen, by the time someone is hired to work a regional game, they should be outstanding umpires as well as outstanding volunteers. I hold myself to the same standards working a LL game as I did when I worked an NCAA D3 conference tournament.
I've seen it locally. I'm in my 9th season umpiring on the local district (I moved here in 2002). We have about 5 umpires who are outstanding, IMO (and all have worked deep into the HS playoffs and work (or have worked) college schedules), a couple who have the potential, and a bunch of LL lifers who work no higher than the FR/JV level during HS season. Those people come to clinics, don't really listen or make a great effort to improve, and then think they should be given high profile assignments in our tournaments. And sometimes they do, which completely frustrates me.
The problem is, IMO, the money. When the pay is "zero" or even substantially below market rates, the good umpires tend to gravitate towards the gigs that pay well. I don't blame them. I don't count on my umpiring money for much (I'm fortunate to have a very good day job), so I don't mind passing up the $120 Legion DH during LL tournament season -- but not everyone is willing to or can make that choice.