Umpire School, Anyone?

[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."