Moving up

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue


This umpire has lived and worked in many areas of the country. I tecah clinics in four states and go to some pretty remote areas to do clinics. There is little question that talented officials exist in our smallest communities. The same goes for players - scouts and recruiters are in Holeinthewall, Montana more than he thinks. (The guy doesn't need to be weraing team colors from top to bottom and holding a radar gun!) The point Jeff misses, is that most colleges are in larger communities and you have to be close if you want to work the games. Yes, you need to be discovered - very few coaches will take a chance on an unknown entity. My suggestion that you contact other umpires was not lost on you, as it appears it was on Jeff. I still believe that most of my peers were noticed and asked to work the schedules we're given. In fact, I have received invitations to work in two other major college conferences because the games were scouted by the right people. Sometimes, being in the right spot is all it takes. I hope that is your luck.

Dude, what the heck are you talking about?

You are missing the point as usual. There are many rural areas that have no umpires that even have the opportunity to advance to a certain level. Of course umpires have to be close, but I do not know if working the Mid-Con is considered a high level of ball. And the umpires that I know work at one of the local D1 School only work that one school. They do not travel to work all the other teams in that conference. So what is your point?

My point is that you say you got an opportunity to work because a coach saw you. Well I do not know many D1 schools playing in the area that I started umpiring. And I do not know one D1 umpire (on a staff) that came from the area I used to live. Not one. I know guys that worked a couple of D1 games, but they are not traveling in other states to work other D1 games and conferences. This suggests that there is a reason you see certain officials coming from certain areas. There is a very good reason you see all the Big Ten Football Officials from a certain area in Illinois. There is a reason I see only D1 Basketball Officials come from a certain area in our state as well. You know so much, name one from the rural parts of Illinois that is on a staff. Then tell me why they are the only one and there is not a boat load of others behind them?

Opportunity is as much about geography as it is talent. You will never get picked if you live in an area where there is no "pipeline" coming from a particular area.

Peace