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Tue Jul 10, 2001, 09:48am
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As a general statement, I think most of us want to move up as we gain more experience. While we all "love" to umpire and do it not necessarily for the money, I often wonder is it worth it.
I have been umpiring for 12 yrs. now. Started out at LL and have been HS certified for 4 yrs, now. While I am appreciative of the advancement I received, started out at the modified level (7th / 8th graders) and am now working a collegiate wood bat league, I am now pondering if I should cut back on some of these "advanced" levels. Why! In general as we move-up more headaches arise. In Legion or Connie Mack which are strict leagues as far as discipline goes, one receives a $50 (7 innings) or $60 (9 innings) game FEE. The CWBL (Collegiate Wood Bat League) FEES are $60.00 for 7 and $70.00 for 9. However, The FEES are $10 higher but the headaches seem like they are a 1,000 times greater especially in close games which most of them are using wood bats instead of metal. I had a game last night where F1 had a nasty curve and was making the hitters look foolish. One particular batter took exception said the magic words and was tossed. One other player said Blue we have been off balance (referring to my strike zone) all game long. Well keeping hitters off balance is F1's job. I am now pondering whether or not to umpire these games next year or at the very least reduce the amount of these type games as in general I do not have fun / enjoy umpiring this league. I enjoy umpiring but it isn't my profession. As you can imagine, Most Umpires chomp at the bit to umpire the Connie Mack / Legion games because generally speaking these games are enjoyable and one receives less headaches. What are your thoughts? Would you rather do a 15/16 yr. old game -$50 game FEE and receive relatively few headaches or do the CWBL or equivalent type league for a sightly higher FEE but have more headaches. Thanks Pete Booth
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Peter M. Booth 
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Tue Jul 10, 2001, 10:02am
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Quote:
If it's to continue to move up, then you need to do the CWBL games to get that experience, even if they are more headaches for not much more money, now. If you're happy where you are, then you can evaluate the money against the headaches -- for you, that seems like going with the Legion / Mack games.
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Tue Jul 10, 2001, 10:38am
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Personal Motivation
I agree with Bob. It comes down to your personal reasons and goals for umpiring.
In my case, I made a decision to get involved in umpiring after my son completed playing Babe Ruth. I wanted to stayed involved in the game and also give something back. Since I do not like to coach, I opted to umpire at the Babe Ruth level. That was three years ago. My umpire goals: To do a Babe Ruth World Series Tournament and be regarded as an excellent HS varsity umpire. In the past three years, I have made progress toward those goals while maintaining a reasonable balance of raising a family with three teenagers. Next year, I expect to start getting lower level Varsity assignments and I have my first State Babe Ruth tournament this weekend. I truly enjoy interacting with young men as they transition from kids to adults and I have no desire to umpire at any other level.
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Tue Jul 10, 2001, 10:41am
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The bigger they get, the more liberties they seem to take thinking they are the coach and not the player. If you start doing the mens leagues you'll find you have a team of 14 coaches that all want to argue and throw zingers.
The more games you do at those levels, the more experienced you become in learning what will work for you and what won't relative to game management. It's then easier, but never easy. As an assignor I am frequently addressed by those doing LL games to try to get some mens games. What you bring up is a good point as to why it is typically better to have patience in advancement. Game management is among one of the most important abilities needed by an umpire working with older players. You can't let every straw break the camel's back, although there are days you'd think you're calling in the middle of a hayfield. Knowing that breaking point of what and what not to accept, and how to keep it from reaching that stage is not learned overnight. Just my opinion, Freix
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Tue Jul 10, 2001, 03:56pm
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Moving On Up to the Eastside . . .
This topic is near and dear to me.
My first game as a certified umpire was when I was 18 years old. It was a varsity game of two AAA schools (Oregons largest declaration at the time) intra-city rivals. I had the dish. Four days later I worked my first college (NAIA) game. Three years after that I worked games in the Oregon State High School Championship playoffs. Moving up and getting the biggest game in town where always the ONLY things that became important too me. As I look back now a much slower, more educated growth would have benefited both me and local baseball in my area. Because I was young and inexperienced my game management was to simply throw anyone out of the game that disagreed with me. However, the system kept rewarding me, I kept accepting the bigger and better and was rewarded my getting bigger and bigger in my head. I have been a member of around eight different baseball associations. In each one I have never really been penalized for being a new guy. I was always considered . . . I guess . . .a Big Dog. Now that I have retired I wish dearly that I had moved more slowly, learned more about dealing with people and more about helping other umpires. I was always more interested in my own advancement and not helping anyone around me. My advancement lasted until I retired last year (after one year in our college group I had passed up the chain) and I am not sure I would have ever recognized what I missed had I not tossed in the towel. Moving up is a great goal it just shouldnt be the ONLY goal an umpire has.
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Tue Jul 10, 2001, 08:51pm
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If you stop enjoying what you are doing, you need to cut back or at least do the level that you enjoy. As far as the strike zone, I always remember in Legion A to not call the high pitch a strike. If they complain about my strike zone, I actually tend to widen it. They get the message real quick- the more they complain the wider my zone gets. This technique really works well for me. Greg [Edited by Gre144 on Jul 10th, 2001 at 08:59 PM]
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Tue Jul 10, 2001, 09:57pm
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Bfair had a good point about game management. I use my summer ball to work on those skills as much (if not more) as my mechanical skills (balls & strikes, safes & outs). My summer ball for the past 8 years has consisted of collegiate wood bat and Independant minor league ball - so the player skill level is pretty good, and so is the ability levels of my partners. This is the highest level of ball around here in the summer, so my goals are playoff oriented every year. These players are more self oriented than the Spring teams (shooting for conference or league championships), so they are more apt to vent themselves than have a coach do it for them. How I handle them is great experience toward handling coaches in the Spring - and it really is true: There is no substitute for years of experience. When we got out of umpire school, Harry Wendlestedt said, "You can all go out and work games, but you won't be "umpires" for quite awhile. In ten years you'll know what I mean." Amen.
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Thu Jul 12, 2001, 12:49pm
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I am unsure whether you are new to this college wood bat league, but if you are it appears that you are going through growing pains. College level baseball seems to test you early and often. My first year I had lots of visits from coaches and player dissent. After they know you can work they usually back off for the most part.
Imagine 25 young adults sitting in a dugout and you (new umpire) walk in the centerfield fence. The coach says to his players who is that? Multiply this by the number of new schools or teams you work for during year one. Then a year later the same umpire walks in to the same field with 12 returning players and a head coach who says "good we have (insert name) today". Instant credibility and less game related tension!
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