[Rog]

re: "I take exception to your"
and I take exception to someone who reads a post and then edits it to their liking.....

Personally though, I have seen too few HS umpire's who were adequately trained (much less over-trained) though I guess one could argue that merely showing up to a half-dozen meetings could serve to qualify someone to be an umpire. Absolutely overworked, i.e. working solo games for 3-4 hours in 90+ degree weather with 80% humidity (and in some cases unscheduled doubleheaders). Then there is that generous monetary reimbursement. Which the umpire pays for their own equipment, manuals, rule books, travel expenses, insurance, and let us not forget to claim those game fees on that tax return so Uncle Sam gets his fair share. Most umpire's I know are lucky to break even after all this.