Suggested CP for a Young Lady Umpire
 

Hello all,

My 15 y/o daughter has decided to give back to LL in return for all that she has gotten from the program. She is working toward becoming a Junior Umpire in our local LL.

I know that no CP fits everyone, but I am wondering which CP our lady umpires on the list have found to be best suited to their physique.

Initially she will be working major & minor boys BB and girls SB so I doubt she will need a Wilson Gold but would a washboard or multi panel "soft" CP fit better than a hard shell?

Thanks in advance for your advice

David

I normally advise even the young male umpires to go with a hard shell chest protector (such as the Wilson gold or the West Vest Platinum). However, a female's chest may not lend itself well to a hard shell.

May I suggest you look into a Honig's K1 (click to go to the web page). The K1 is not a hard shell but from what hear from the wearers, it is very good. The K1 may also help disperse the shock away from her breasts, which is definitely a concern for the female umpire. Personally, I and my son only use the West Vest Platinum.

http://www.honigs.com/img_item_full/K1ALL.jpg

Having tried on a K1, I would say that the biggest benefit is it's adjustability. However, if expense is a concern, a good start might be the proNine which is a bit of a knock off. I use one and it is adequate for the level of ball she'll be starting off with.

Even with the shock being dispersed, it's still felt since it doesn't disperse over the ribcage, but over the breast tissue. It might be just as important to wear a sports bra that flattens the chest.

Rita

Since your daughter is only 15 until she really likes umpiring I would suggest going on E-bay or see if any local umpire association is selling equipment so you can get a cheap CP since your daughter is only doing minor / major boys / girls.

The point is I would not invest any BIG TIME money until I was sure I liked it.

Example: I first started umpiring in LL. At the time I did not know if I would like umpiring but wanted to help out my local LL organization.

I wore grey pants from an old suit that I had. At that time Elbeco was in so I bought a $10.00 Blue shirt from Sears and sewed on the LL patch.

I purchased a brush, indicator and hat from the local LL organization. Since I was a regular, I took home one of the inside CP's that the league provided and cleaned it thoroughly.

Once I enjoyed it and became HS certified I then bought my own "stuff"

Therefore I would not invest too much money until I knew that I liked it and also started umpiring where I got paid so i could afford to buy good equipment.

Pete Booth

If you want extra protection, you might also consider a fencing type chest/breast protector. It would easily fit under any baseball chest protector.

http://www.blue-gauntlet.com/store/products

What about a catcher's chest protector? You could get one for free from the equipment office. They work for catchers, and I used one as an umpire for a 16-18 year old game and took a couple foul tips off it with only a little pain. It should work fine for Little League. Here come the flames.

Also look into a protective cup. Honig's (I think) sells a female version. The anatomy is different, but the need for protection is the same.

I would check out the Honig K-5 (I think it's called that). Perhaps the K-1 is a bit of overkill for a first timer. The K-5 goes for about $80.

You are really just inviting people to say things about you, aren't you. You say, "Here come the flames," because you know that your advice is crap and the worst possible thing to say, especially to a man who is sincere about protecting his little girl.

You must do it on purpose. A couple of foul tips with only a little pain? Baseballs hurt, whether it's Little League or any other level. The ball hurts when it hits unprotected areas. Why should this young lady subject herself to any extra pain? That's just stupid. I'm sorry, but I have to say the word stupid on this one.

Hey, a catcher also has a glove and knows where the pitch is going to come usually, and he's TRYING to catch the damn ball. Umpires have to stay still and let the freaking ball hit them! That's why the gear is different.

I would never consider working any level of game with a catcher's chest protector. That kink of advice makes me wonder if you've umpired a few too many games without your mask.

I just hope this is the first of many such posts, but that's probably what you are trying to do.

In what universe do you set up in where you're taking foul tips to the chest protector?


Tim.

Nice catch. Even went past my usually fine-tuned radar! :)

Maybe he sets up between the batter and the catcher.

First, to the OP: Good for your daughter for wanting to contribute to her league after playing there. That's how I got started. Hopefully she goes on to a fine career.

Now, on to business:
[1] What about a catcher's CP? You would get what you paid for.

[2] Steve has explained why they work for catchers.

[3] Now, when it comes to umpire CPs, those hard plastic plates around the shoulders, collar bones, and chest turn "a little pain" into "no pain."

[4] My K1 works fine for all divisions of LL baseball/softball, from majors through big league (18-year-olds) as well.

[5] You will probably think Steve's reply was flaming. I would say it was honest and straightforward.

It's called the slot.

The catcher's chest protector should work fine for Little League games if you are looking for something inexpensive. That is my advice,

Suggest you take a look at V Sport hard shell, about $80 and in a couple different sizes. The hard shell is on the outside not the inside. Inside is thick shock absorbing foam.

If she later advances to more advanced baseball she can keep using it.

Canada --

BigUmp was making the point that you couldn't have been hit with a "foul tip" as you said in your post. A foul tip is a ball that is caught by the catcher.

That said, the distinction, while valid, didn't really matter in your post. It's still important to be precise in your language.