[QUOTE=PeteBooth;902943][QUOTE][QUOTE=Multiple Sports;902937]Pete -

You are right, Being it is LL, the comparison may be a bit different. But ultimately, if I am responsible for umpires and you "volunteered" 20 dates
and someone else with 6 state championships under their belt is available and
has met LL qualifications and worked 1 game, I am taking him. If you don't like that, then you have to become a better umpire.

To be completely honest, I see a real trend in officiating today, where guys
are stepping out on the field or court poorly trained or not trained at all and are either in it for the money or are volunteering and then when "better" blues come along they are upset that they are getting pushed to the side.

Ultimately you are responsible for your own schedule........have you done everything you can do to ensure a good schedule.

Are you in the best shape / Is your uniform dry cleaned / do you know rules inside and out / do you have the best people skills (game management) / do you turn back game during the season.. All the above affecct your schedule in ways you have no idea....

Hope I didn't go off on a tangent, but nobody is owed anything in officiating.....

[QUOTE=Multiple Sports;903047][QUOTE=PeteBooth;902943][QUOTE]You are absolutely correct of course and that is the way we would all like it to be.

Maybe in your assigning life, you haven't come across this just yet, but if constantly keep pushing aside the less talented, but always available guy for the more talented, less availability guy, the always available guy eventually won't be available. It's a fine balancing act you have to walk as an assignor.

[QUOTE=Multiple Sports;903047][QUOTE=PeteBooth;902943][QUOTE]Paying everybody the same begets poor officiating. Why would someone invest in training if they're in it for the money, and training does not result in a return on that investment? If the 3-year dropout rate is any indicator, most people who step on a court or field don't think officiating is all that enjoyable, so people who want good officials need to make getting better a worthwhile proposition.

Nobody is owed anything in officiating, sure. That cuts both ways: Game participants aren't owed good officials, either. I'm so sick of hearing how 'X' team or league "deserves the best officials." They all get pretty much what they deserve, and nowhere is that more apparent than the LLWS.

In both my observations and experience, in amateur baseball, generally, the better you pay the umpires, the better the umpires you get.

No. Having crappy umpires makes it a monkey show.

I only normally try to explain a rule to some people in the stands for the most part. I asked him a question, and it was obvious he knew his stuff. His team were defending state champions in their classification, and they did repeat.

Not all coaches are mentally challenged.

So keep shaking there, boss.

[QUOTE][QUOTE=Multiple Sports;903047][QUOTE=PeteBooth;902943][QUOTE]
Maybe in "your neck of the woods" but I do not see this trend at all. It's about availability.

You could be the best official around, but if you keep saying no to certain assigments even if legit (due to work / family etc.) you will not get the games. It's been that way at least in my experience "forever"

There is an overall lack of officials and I don't care if you are the biggest Smitty in the world, if you are available you will get games.

Pete Booth

In my experience, there is a lack of officials willing to work for free that actually spend time, money, and effort to learn the rules and improve their craft.

There is NOT, however, a lack of quality officials (in any of the places I've lived) willing to get paid fairly for their talents. My ASA, NFHS softball and NFHS, Pony baseball leagues have plenty officials most of the time.

VERY well put! Spot on.

Ace