Professional Schools
 

I am currently debating on whether I should attend a professional umpire school this upcoming year. I will be starting my 10th year of officiating and have been told by some instructors (all amateur, none professional) that I should attend one as my skills are good and can become much better with the help of the clinic. I have the luxury of being able to have the time and money to attend a clinic if I do choose to. I am not necessarily looking to become a professional umpire, but to tone my skills. I have looked into Jim Evans 5 week school in addition to Wendelstedt's 2 week and 5 week school. What are everyone's thoughts on these schools in addition to attending one? Thanks in advance for any information given.

I went to Wendelstedt's 5 week school when I was 34 with the thought of taking a pro job if it was offered and improving my skills to better my local chances of moving up if I wasn't offered a pro job. Harry ultimately told me "We'll hire you but you'll die in minor league ball", so I came home and contacted every college within 100 miles of where I lived. This was all before assignors, but all the schools hired me sight unseen because of the schooling.
I had umpired HS and juco ball before I went to the school, and within 2 years of coming back from the school I was doing a full D1 schedule.
If you have the time and money, do one of the full-blown schools. You won't regret it.

JJ

Evans is just a money grabber now. Go with Harry 100%

If you are going to get a job go to the Umpire School(PBUC). If you're going to get better go to Harry's or PBUC.

Thanks for the responses everyone. I completely forgot about the PBUC. After delving more into it and reading everyone's responses, I think that I am leaning towards the PBUC school.

I went to the PBUC school last January and found it terrific -its first class and only 35 of us (you won't find that small a class ever again at a pro school!). At my age, I did not go there to find a job in MiLB, just to improve... (And a bucket list kind of thing, too.)

It's only four weeks compared to Wendelstedt's five week program, but it's a full four weeks Monday thru Saturday. Generally, rules and mechanics classroom instruction in the AM and field/cage mechanics in the PM with two or more occasional evening meetings every week (to review videos, for example). You're trained by the top MiLB umpire/evaluators (many who have had MLB experience). You're housed, fed, and taught right there in "Dodgertown" - now the Vero Beach Sports Complex. It's a great all-in-one campus and the closeness of everyone there makes for great comradery. (I remember the times when several of us would get together and go out onto the fields in the evening to practice our mechanics under the lights, sometimes just a light.)

One thing for sure at these pro schools, you will be stripped of much of what you have learned before and begin with instruction in the basics (fundamentals) to get you on a solid professional footing...

If it was going to be resolved, It should have taken place by now. He's peddling more products than a gypsy at his website.

You speak as if you know what you are talking about. Reality is that you have zero idea of what you are talking about.

You have no idea what you're talking about.

Copyright Attourney?
 

Evans should drop the lawsuit to develop MLB umpires. What was it producing, 20 grads a year?

He should then publish and sell his baseball rule book, case notes and historical accounts to the general public. Let MLB takes him to court and allow the publisher to fight his battle in court. Then he can counter that he owned the educational right to that material. I just think there is more money in it for him.

Whatever.......................................... .:( I just call it like I see it. I have my personal reasons, ok. It has nothing to do with Mr. Evans himself.

I know more than you think I do. It's still be a good old boys club, so don't hurt your arm patting yourself on the back.

So how early in a career should one go to this type of school?

I'm just starting out in high school ball, but i have aspirations(?) of making it much further. If they're going to "strip me of the fundamentals" i'm learning now, why delay it? How many years do i wait, learning the supposed "wrong fundamentals" ????

Incorrect fundamentals seem to be much less common now than 20 years ago (at least around here), partly due to more amateur umpires getting professional training and sharing it with their associations.

At least one of the pro schools will accept students right out of high school but encourages them to attend college first. The reality is that nearly all pro school graduates will need to find non-baseball employment, and they'll be disadvantaged by lack of a degree.

Personal reason makes sense. An objective reason? What the hell is that?

Enough.