Quote:
Originally posted by emaxos
I have been reading this board for a while and have gained a new level of respect for umpires. I am a coach and I try very hard to learn and play by the rules of the game, as most of us do.
I have, on some occasions, questioned calls that I thought were wrong. I also see coaches and fans who are clueless and need to just shutup.
However, I sense in your message a condescending tone toward coaches in general. I coach a rec league because I enjoy the game and I enjoy teaching the game. I owe it to my team to question a call if and when I feel it was wrong. That's part of my job as a coach and I do it in a mostly respectful way.
You do get it wrong on occasion, as do coaches. Becoming a good umpire is a learning process, just as becoming a good coach is. I go out a few nights a week for games and practice. I volunteer my time and ask nothing in return except a good ball game and a good effort from my players. Please don't hang us all because a small percentage don't do their job well.
Keep up the good work.
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When I am calling the younger kids, I always assume I am dealing with inexperienced coaches (not always true, but true the majority of the time). Therefore, I don't get upset with a coach who misunderstands the rules as long as he is respectful. I try to educate the coach, not reprimand him. Where I come down hard is when he disagrees loudly from across the field (even if he is right), or when he is playing to the crowd, or when he is loudly talking
about me to his team of assistant coaches with obvious intent to technically avoid saying those things
to me. Saying them to me is not required, since the rule says they can't make disparaging remarks "to or about" the umpire.
Besides, these kinds of war stories here are mostly for a few chuckles, kind of a "first liar doesn't have a chance" situation. Don't infer that they apply to all coaches or that they describe how umpires feel about coaches in general.