Umpire School, Anyone?

[bossman72]

Thank you for taking the time to write that! That was very informative. I'll remember your advice if i decide to go to umpire school one day. What you said is true and can also be applicable to clinics you attend in your local area as well.

[GarthB]

I did not attend proschool, just the Desert Classic and several week-end clinics and camps.

However, I spent this past summer with several first year umpires who I interviewed for a series at officiating.com

Allow me to throw out a few comments they made that are relevant to this thread.

"If you attend proschool with the intent to get a job, then treat proschool as your job. Throughout school be professional, respectful and industrious, just as you would if you working to succeed on any job."

"Utilize every minute when you are not in training to study or practice, but don't wear it on your sleeve to impress the instructors. Study and practice in private."

"Volunteer to help out in various areas, but be balanced about it. One student always was the first to volunteer to play the the part of a ballplayer. He spent so much time as a player that that was how the instructors and his fellow students began to regard him. And even though he was the son of a former MLB umpire, he did not make it to PBUC."

"Don't ask "why". Pay attention and you'll find out the why of everything. There IS such a thing as a dumb question."

"Treat it like Army basic training. Keep your mouth shut, do what your are told as you are told and hustle. You'll get more positive notice for doing things correctly and hustling then you will for talking and telling war stories."

"Get plenty of sleep and stay alert in the classroom as well as on the field and in the cages. Look at the instructors when they are talking to you or the entire group. Make eye contact."

"Bring extra uniform pants and buy extra school shirts. You might only get to do laundry once a week and even though the instructors realize that, a dirty uniform is still a negative issue that is hard to overcome. Always look professional."

"Get along with everyone. Don't be a loner and don't be a prick to anyone. As a minor league umpire you will live with your partner day and night for an entire season. Don't give the impression that you can be hard to get along with."

[justanotherblue]

I attended the Evans Academy two years ago. What you can expect is to work hard every day. Your spend anywhere from two to four hours a day in the classroom going over EVERY word in the rule book, as well as the "red book". You will have ...dang.... what was it 13 tests including a 200 question final alone. I think it comes out to a total of 750+ test questions throughout the program. That doesn't include all the handouts and school work and book materials. Every afternoon your be doing drills. Usually until the sun goes down. It's not uncommon to work on the field until six. Your work in the cages every day. Rather than work one or two innings of a live game, your do camp games. You will be introduced to most situations you WON'T run into in a normal game, and then some. Your be put through several confrontations and ejection situations, and have to write reports on them. Oh yeah, that has to be done along with all the other classroom work. All in all, your work your butt off. If your planning on attending this winter, start running now! You will lose weight and be in much better shape when your done!!!! Why....because there's running in being an Umpire.

Good luck