Movement Policy?

[jdmara]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

if you have enough umpires to make it that tough of a process...that is the ideal way to do it.

Great point Johnny! The big deciding factor among associations around here is the availability of officials. During the baseball season, we typically have enough umpires so experienced and competent officials are working all varsity contests. Although there are times when the less qualified/developing officials get mixed in. In a perfect world you would go through so many years of development until the assignor felt you were ready for the varsity assignments but that's not always true (at least around here).

It's a mixed bag around here. Some assignors will hold off on giving an new officials varsity dates. However it seems if the assignor has an experience with the official, they are more apt to give them varsity dates sooner. For instance, I worked a year of baseball and proved myself as a good official. The next fall, I worked my first year of basketball with the same assignor. He scheduled me for varsity games because of my aptitude for officiating although he had not seen me officiate basketball. He obviously recognized my attitude for rules study and my attention to detail so thought he would just throw me in the mix. Granted I didn't get the best varsity assignments the first few years but I wasn't complaining.

-Josh

[DG]

I don't see this as different than any other job. You change jobs the boss (assigner) must get to know you before he has complete confidence in you. Excellent references from your previous job (assigner) helps. You will certainly get better games if your previous boss (assigner) gives a call to your new boss (assigner) to tell him what you are capable of working.

[MajorDave]

by my good friend and mentor, Dave. Getting in is a matter of ABILITY. Getting more games is a matter of AVAILABILITY and getting a lot of the good games is a combination of both.

[DonInKansas]

Originally Posted by MajorDave

by my good friend and mentor, Dave. Getting in is a matter of ABILITY. Getting more games is a matter of AVAILABILITY and getting a lot of the good games is a combination of both.

I'll agree with this. Then again, out here in SW Kansas, if you show any sort of ability and willingness to work, you'll have guys knocking down your door trying to get you to work games. The officials are almost as widespread as the schools are.

[UmpTTS43]

Originally Posted by MajorDave

by my good friend and mentor, Dave. Getting in is a matter of ABILITY. Getting more games is a matter of AVAILABILITY and getting a lot of the good games is a combination of both.

And to take it a step further, as my college assignor says, "your availability will give you the opportunity. What you do with the opportunity is up to you."

[ManInBlue]

My first year in I was doing varsity games and was assigned to 2 dates (4 games) in the playoffs.

We don't have a set time frame. I'm sure there are some that didn't work any varsity or many games at all in their first year.

This year the association has more members than ever previously - many people had fewer dates and many got very few games, or maybe just JH.

[MajorDave]

I have been feeling sorry for myself lately as my college assigner calls my friend Frank all the time with add on games. Tonight, finally, he gave me a D1- ISU vs D2- USI game at historic Bosse Field in Evansville, IN. I looked it up. The third oldest baseball stadium in the country after Fenway and Wrigley. They filmed part of the women's baseball movie, A league of their own there. Pretty cool bone he threw me. Thanks Chuck!

[ManInBlue]

Originally Posted by MajorDave

I have been feeling sorry for myself lately as my college assigner calls my friend Frank all the time with add on games. Tonight, finally, he gave me a D1- ISU vs D2- USI game at historic Bosse Field in Evansville, IN. I looked it up. The third oldest baseball stadium in the country after Fenway and Wrigley. They filmed part of the women's baseball movie, A league of their own there. Pretty cool bone he threw me. Thanks Chuck!

I received the honor of calling a couple of games at the oldest park in the country - Rickwood Field in Birmingham, AL. Games weren't NCAA, etc but it brought back memories of my grandfather taking me to games before the Barons moved to the Met. Those old ball parks just talk to you.

[DonInKansas]

Heh; I'm just trying to get to Lawrence-Dumont in Wichita, where the Shockers and Wranglers play.