Little League World Series Umps

[Multiple Sports]

Originally Posted by kylejt

Why is doing HS/Fed ball some sort of benchmark? I'm watching more HS ball, as my son is now a Varsity coach, and at least around here, the quality is hit and miss.

Most guys that I know that get a shot at LL TV games, at least out here in the West, are also doing Adult wood bat, older travel, college summer league, etc. Weekend stuff, but not HS as they have real, 9-5 jobs that preclude them from working those 3pm games.

I am a firm believer that what is taught at the hs level will make umpires better than the wood bat / older travel / weekend stuff umpire. Most of the hs guys are doing other sports and they learn how to "run a game" ( manage ).

Coaches at the youth and those other levels are usually parents and they just scream, for example they don't walk on to the field and discuss calls, they simply yell "get help" ( sure sign of wreck ball ). And let's face it, those umpires at that level are mostly in it it for the money and don't like to make the "tough" call
as they want to come back and work every weekend ...... in other words they umpire because they want everyone to be their friend.....

As an assigner for hs ball and "summer ball", I have been able to keep my "summer ball" contracts for 15 years because I only use hs guys !!!!! While the coaches at 13 get a little upset because the zones are a bit smaller and we don't "get help" on every play, by the time these teams are playing 14 U the coaches get it as they see the same zone called in hs......