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I've just returned from the 18U Gold in Clearwater, FL.
It was a great learning experience for me, being a relative rookie compared to the vast majority of umpires who were there. Each umpire I talked to had worked many previous Nationals, to include a few Gold, and also have a number of years of NCAA ball under their belts. This was only my third National.
As expected, executing ASA's three-man mechanics was a pretty significant learning curve for me. For those not aware, every game was played with three-man. In my other qualifiers and Nationals, two-man was the norm until we got to the semifinals. I can probably count on two hands how often I've done ASA three-man. Most of my three-man experience comes from high school tournaments.
So when I wasn't on the field, I spent a lot of time watching the other crews and eavesdropping on their evaluator critiques. What I saw and heard was invaluable to me. It was an honor and pleasure to work the Gold with a terrific crew of umpires, and to learn from a tremendous UIC staff.
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"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker
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