Advice for New Umpires

[Justme]

Originally Posted by MadCityRef

Hello,
This winter I am creating guidelines (tips, do's and don't's, etc.) for the new umpires in our association. I would appreciate if you could share bits of advice or past experiences that made you a better umpire/official.

Thank you,
Mad City Ref

Here's a few of the things that quickly come to find.

Rule knowledge & application -- knowing the rules isn't enough, you need to know how to apply them.

Consistency -- be consistent with your calls (i.g., strike zone)

Hustle -- always hustle

Positioning -- hustle to get into the proper position to make your calls.

Get the call right -- always strive to get the call right.

Communication -- communicate with your partner (verbally & hand signals)

Timing -- watch your timing. Don't make calls too fast, give them time to settle. Remember, it ain't nothing until you call it.

Appearance -- look like a professional. Proper & neat uniform.

Conditioning -- you can't hustle properly if you're not in good condition.

Handling situations -- learn how to deal with coaches & players.

Always know where the ball is & who has it -- never, ever, lose the sight of the ball. Know where it is & who has it, especially if it's still live.

Game Management -- learn how to control your game. Keep it moving so that you can get your 9-innings (or whatever) in and go home. You need good game management to get the most innings in even if your games have a time limit.

Mechanics -- you need to know the proper mechanics.

Have fun -- unless you're making $90k+ per year umpiring you're probably not in it for the money so remember to relax and have fun.