"Earning Respect"

[Whowefoolin]

I volunteer for the local Little League here in town. But I also get paid from an association for other Little League associations, High School, and adult games.

In my experience, the volunteer has the luxury to pick and choose the games (i.e., cool, evening, Saturdays, etc...) The paid umpire goes when and where he is told.

The volunteer group usually pittles (is that a word?) out around the dog days. THe paid umpires keeps going.

For every paid ump that shows up late, blows a call, doesn't move, there is three-fold of volunteers that don't show up at all, doesn't KNOW the call and over hustles.

But I also volunteer so I take nothing away from that. But if I had a choice between someone I don't know that is getting paid, or one that is a volunteer, I would take the paid because of uniform, knowledge and responsibility (even though the volunteers efforts might be effected by outside sources...i.e., family, kids, work...)

Just my thoughts.