Question for you FED Umpires

[Justme]

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.

My situation is unique. As an employer (my company works projects rather than a set job) I'm pretty flexible just as long as my project stays on schedule. In most cases it doesn't matter if my guys are on-site from 6-2 or 5-1 or whatever just as long as everyone is together for our daily status meeting. Also there are times when a particular team member may be needed at a specific time so I expect them to be there. I know that in most cases a retail business can not allow their employees to work such a flex schedule because they have to cover set hours each day (I' recently become involved in a couple of retail franchise things too). You might have to change careers.

Working college ball requires even more time. As has been previously stated it requires more travel (usually). Back years ago when I worked college ball it was the travel time that forced me to give it up also my business was just taking off and I had to devote 110% of my time to it. Now that I'm 95% retired I can enjoy working baseball/softball but I still do not work college ball. I was asked recently if I'd like to work JUCO but I declined because of the travel....getting too old and cranky to deal with the travel.

Good luck to you with your umpiring goals. You might want to consider attending one of the pro schools, even if you don't make it the first time through you'll learn a lot of good stuff.