Did I mess up?

[Forest Ump]

I was doing an 11-12 year old championship game tonight. I volunteer my time umpiring for this league because my kids play in it. I also call traveling league for my association. Umpiring three years now. Anyway the game is going well, no chirping from the benches when in the top of the fourth inning, the 1st batter hits the ball, it glances off his foot and he runs down to first. I didn't see it hit his foot and my partner bangs him out at 1st. Well everyone is yelling it hit his foot, the coach asks for help with the call and I walk out to talk to my partner. I can see the kid limping as he is walking back across the diamond. I'm pretty sure he fouled it off his foot so I say to the kid" Did that ball hit your foot"? He says yes it did.

The coaches come unglued on me. They start yelling that I can't ask the kid, that not the procedure, yada yada. I tell them I can use any means I want to determine the right call. I also say the kids don't lie at this age. I still walk out to my partner and he says he didn't see anything. I go with the foul call anyway. Nobody disputes that this is the wrong call. The kid gets back up to bat and strikes out on the next pitch. Somebody yells it didn't matter anyway.

Well to make this story a little longer. It the top of the 6th, visitors down by 3, bases loaded, 1 out. Portly kid up to bat with two strikes. Ball comes in behind him, he moves in, and the ball misses him. The third base coach is now yelling" Hey ask him if it hit him, they don't lie at this age. You got to do it to both sides blue". I tell him to get back in his box or he'll finish the game from the parking lot. Kid strikes out, catcher drops the ball, kid starts to run, and I yell "batters out, batters out". Dumb coach sends kid on 3rd and he comes 3/4 of the way down and gets tagged out for the third and final out. I didn't feel to bad about that.

I would never ask the kids in the older leagues a question like that but I didn't think I was out of line doing this with the younger ones. I probably shouldn't have and most likely won’t do it again just because I can see the problems it can cause. Thanks for letting me vent.

Steve