Thread: New coach
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Old Wed Aug 21, 2013, 02:10pm
AtlUmpSteve AtlUmpSteve is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Woodstock, GA; Atlanta area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dakota View Post
I've umpired in tournaments where it was made clear to the umpires that decisions regarding suspending play due to weather were reserved solely for the TD. They did not want each field to decide independently, but the tournament as a whole.

Fortunately, when this has been in the tournament rules, the TD has been very safety-conscious, so it never became an issue where I thought play should be suspended but the TD had not reached a decision yet (and it did provide a deflection for whiney coaches).

But, what is the thought here on such a tournament rule? Would you "violate" the rule if the TD was too slow to decide (i.e. in your judgment, the conditions were unsafe)?
I would never allow a TD to make that decision; he/she often has different thoughts and priorities. If there is an on-site UIC, I agree that he should be making the over-all decision, but not a TD.

I use the general rule in my organization, if there isn't a site UIC, allow game/site/league management to take you off a field you consider still safe, but do NOT allow them to require you to stay and continue if you feel it is unsafe.
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