LL Minn vs Iows

[LilLeaguer]

Originally posted by His High Holiness

You are right. You cannot logically call someone bad because they do not want to move up. But you can call them unmotivated. Unmotivated people, over time, tend to become bad.

Peter,

I am strongly motivated to[list=1][*] Recruit and train the best volunteer umpires I can for our League.[*] Personally be the best umpire I can be when I'm on the field.[*] Be able to volunteer for the post-season tournaments in my area as I am able and as I am requested.[/list=1]That is the reason that I stick my internet neck out on this forum, buy the available resources on umpiring, and work with the best LL umpires I can.

I'm not sure yet that "wasting" my time doing non-LL games would actually affect these goals; you Real Umpires (tm) certainly haven't made that case, with your fixations on uniforms (which, except for my adjustable hat, I think I figured out on my own years ago) and tales of your co-working Smittys. I've read tales of pandering to coaches' prejudices in game-time decisions, putting up with inferior mechanics to get ahead in the association, and the all-to-familiar problem of working with partners who aren't motivated to avoid being bad.

There are associations in the area whose members have invited me to join. I have resisted so far since

• The list of problems I've seen with Real Umpires (tm) on the internet hasn't convinced me that I need the working experience.
• The pay is too low.

I think, though, that I should seriously consider more formal training in some way this year, so I may attend one of those associations' winter sessions. Then my problem will be to translate that training into the needs of a LL game.

-LL