Movement Policy?
 

What is the movement policy for your HS associations? How many years & games at JV will get you to varsity?

Is movement based on a coach's ratings?

Once you are a varsity umpire, is there any mechanism for you to be moved DOWNWARD, or are guys varsity "for life?"


Thanks,
AR

In our association, it's an average of at lease three seasons before you get Varsity games steadily. We have no "Varsity umpires", everyone works Frosh, JV and Varsity or you don't work. Our assigners contract with the school districts so coach's input weighs very little (unless there is a very serious problem).

There is no official time-frame. Everyone who joins, unless they come in with a verifiable resume, starts at the Middle School/JV level. If you can umpire with proficiency, you move up quickly, possibly in your first year. If you can't call at all, you will be let go fairly soon. If you are in-between, you will stay at the MS/JV level.

Prior experience on the varsity level in another sport is a plus, as that demonstrates an ability to deal with sticky situations.

Movement in my group is based on performance, not tenure. Those who work hard, study and attend clinics move up more quickly than those who "put their time in."

Moving down is also based on performance. Nothing is for life.

The assignor decides who gets which games. Coaches don't have any role in that decision making process.

As an 18 year old HS senior, the first time I could get certified in PA, I was assigned varsity games while guys 2-3 times my age and with years of experience doing FED were never given varsity games. (Of course I was kept away from doing my school's varsity games.)

It just came down to who the assignor felt comfortable giving games to. I knew the rules and mechanics better than anyone else in our HS association and the assignor realized that I was ready. Other guys just refused to learn the differences between FED and OBR and/or had horrible mechanics and were given JV or Freshman games.

IMO that is the way it should be done.

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

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.

As it was put to me....
 

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.

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."

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.

No such thing. You get games you are assigned or available to do. There are not a lot of baseball umpires to have a stringent position. I worked varsity and college ball in my first year. I was available and I was assigned. I did not mess up, so I stayed at those levels.

No.

No.

Look, getting varsity games are based on who you work for. If you work for an assignor and they give you games, they give you what you can handle or when you are available. If you work in an area that does not have an assignor, the schools hire who they want to and under the circumstances they desire. There is no system or structure that I have ever seen followed across the board or that everyone agrees with. When you are the boss, you make the decisions. And really associations have nothing to do with that.

Peace

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.