Question for you FED Umpires

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by GarthB

I teach school. No problem. Last class ends at 2:30, I'm required to remain on campus until 3:00. HS games start at 3:45 in the early season and 4:15 after the clocks get moved forward.

So, you only work games at the school where you teach? Or can you just get to all your games in 15 minutes? Leaving school at 3:00 doesn't give you a lot of extra time for travel until DST kicks in.

Here, most of the conferences start at 3:00, and the rest at 3:30 or 4:00. Many guys can't get away from their jobs in time to do HS ball, and for that reason alone work only youth games. We have very few schools with lighting for night games, so they try to start as early as possible.

[scarolinablue]

Guess I feel pretty lucky. I've worked for the same employer for 15 years (next Friday). I've been doing HS ball for 5 years now, but it did take shifting to a new position with less stringent "be at work until 5 o'clock" requirements to really make it happen. In other words, I used to work in a manufacturing plant where the whip was cracked hard if you left work before 6 pm...tough days, those. Now, in a product development atmosphere, it's much more flexible for me...I just come in a little early or work through lunch and head out when I need to that day. Fortunately, in SC, most varsity games don't start until 6 or 7 pm, unless it's on the rare field that doesn't have lights. Of course, having a boss that doesn't mind me doing this helps also, but we work enough at home and travel a good bit that the couple of us that umpire don't feel the least bit guilty leaving an hour early if need be...the man is still getting his money's worth out of us.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

So, you only work games at the school where you teach? Or can you just get to all your games in 15 minutes? Leaving school at 3:00 doesn't give you a lot of extra time for travel until DST kicks in.

Here, most of the conferences start at 3:00, and the rest at 3:30 or 4:00. Many guys can't get away from their jobs in time to do HS ball, and for that reason alone work only youth games. We have very few schools with lighting for night games, so they try to start as early as possible.

I never work games at the school where I teach.

One of the nice things about Spokane is that it is not California. We don't have the traffic issues. I can drive 20 miles in less than 20 minutes any time of the day.

I work my out of town games on week-ends until DST.

[bluezebra]

Originally Posted by Welpe

So I'm looking in to starting to call FED ball next Spring and I'm wondering something.

What kind of regular job do you have and how does your employer feel about you leaving work early once or twice a week? Most games around here seem to start at 4 o'clock. Between traffic and getting to the field early enough to have a good pre-game and inspect equipment, it seems I would have to leave work as early as 2.

I'm just starting my career and I'm hesitant to ask for something like this, but I also want to start working High School soon with the eventual goal of calling Division 1 NCAA baseball. I figure that's going to take quite a few years and a lot more training.

I'd appreciate any suggestions or adivce.

Get a job like I had. Open the office at 5:00 am, get off at 1:00 pm. No problem making 3:00 pm high school games. When I had a college game (2:00 pm start), my afternoon replacement came in early. And I stayed later when he had something going. Of course, this needs an understanding office manager.

Getting of at 1:00 pm also worked when I didn't have a game. I worked near LAX and drove to Long Beach and went fishing.

Bob

[mbyron]

I teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays and can work ballgames at any time after noon on MWF and on weekends.