NFHS "Charge an umpire"

[BSBAL18]

NFHS rulebook says in Rule 3-3.j "A coach, player, subsititute [...] shall not 'charge an umpire' "

Penalty is a warning (Verbal or written) or ejection if umpire deems it a major offense.



So coaches "charge" out of their box or dugout all the time to complain about a call... should I immediately prepare a warning and then either delivery the warning or ejection (depending on what is said/actions/etc)? Many times i see the coach just argue with the umpire, not say any key words, and then march back all pissy without any warning at all.

"Charge" is by definition "move quickly and with impetus".

I have a feeling this will fall, again, under the "dont enforce every rule" which has been told to me on about 5 occasions when i ask... i guess I maybe get too literal with the rules on some points. Still learning.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by BSBAL18

NFHS rulebook says in Rule 3-3.j "A coach, player, subsititute [...] shall not 'charge an umpire' "

Penalty is a warning (Verbal or written) or ejection if umpire deems it a major offense.



So coaches "charge" out of their box or dugout all the time to complain about a call... should I immediately prepare a warning and then either delivery the warning or ejection (depending on what is said/actions/etc)? Many times i see the coach just argue with the umpire, not say any key words, and then march back all pissy without any warning at all.

"Charge" is by definition "move quickly and with impetus".

I have a feeling this will fall, again, under the "dont enforce every rule" which has been told to me on about 5 occasions when i ask... i guess I maybe get too literal with the rules on some points. Still learning.

This is a lesson in situational awareness. Most of the time immediately after a call, there's a fair amount of distance between you and the only person allowed to engage you (the head coach.) Be aware of where he is and what he is doing. If he's charging (which, to me, means running at close to full stride or something of that nature,) you can give a warning while he's in mid-motion and have the option eject him if he doesn't heed it.

This is also a when-in-Rome situation. Your area may give more or less rope to a coach in this situation than other areas do.

[umpjim]

I haven’t seen a full charge in my neck of the woods but when a coach approaches me I like to decrease the distance he has to travel and I approach him to expedite the start of the conversation. There is another school of thought that would have you be unaware of the coaches desire to engage you and thus he would have to travel further to engage you as you were repositioning with your back turned to him. I think the back turned or jog back to position to the charging coach might be an effective tool if done with appropriate innocence.

[john5396]

The restriction on charging an ump was added about 15-20 years ago. Before that was added, it was normal for a coach to run at us like Billy Martin.

Guidance then was to give a stop, verbal or stop sign when they started running. If they showed and approached respectfully, then ignore. Of he is still running when he gets to the plate, he was gone.