Rookie Season

[SC Ump]

My handle, SC Ump, is from 15+ years of softball and baseball. This year I decided to give football a try... as umpire here, too.

Thanks much in part to this board, I had a blast and a very successful year. Starting with a very good test score, I was assigned 19 sub-varsity games and 9 varsity ones on Friday night.

Last Thursday, at our end of year banquet, I was awarded our local association's rookie of the year award. I just wanted to say thank you to this board and all the support you supplied.

With tongue firmly in cheek, here are the top ten things I learned as a rookie football official:

10. If you mark off a penalty the wrong way, the crowd will let you know immediately.

9. "Tricked" is when they convince you the new guy drives the crew to the game; "gullible" is when they also convince you to buy the post-game beverages.

8. (Especially for the umpires) Watch the game, not the cheerleaders. http://bellsouthpwp.net/d/t/dte120360/blackeye.htm

7. If defensive linemen continue to refer to you as "Coach", (as in "Coach, the other team's holding") make sure your explanations are simple.

6. There is no difference from sport to sport when it comes to coaches saying, "They let us do it last game."

5. Your crew will never let you live it down if you accidentally throw a flag at a fumble instead of your bean bag.

4. "Working on a wing" has nothing to do with umpires at post-game Hooter events.

3. "Back steak stake" has nothing to do with umpires at post-game Outback events.

2. If you think you're sleek, check out the 11:00 local sports, with the film of you waddling down the field.

And the number one thing I learned as a rookie football official...

1. To avoid embarrassment, make sure you understand what is meant when your white hat tells you he needs his balls dried.

[SWFLguy]

wow---so many Varisty
games in your first year ???
would never have happened
in CNY and likely not even here in
SW FL.
Have fun next year too !!
I'm looking forward to my 37th season.

Originally posted by SWFLguy
wow---so many Varisty
games in your first year ???
would never have happened
in CNY and likely not even here in
SW FL.
Have fun next year too !!
I'm looking forward to my 37th season.

same here in New Jersey. Can't do a Varsity game until your second year if you pass the written test at the end of your first year.

Congrates SC Ump on the first year down...

wow SWFLguy #37! I am working on #9..if I could make it to season #37 I would be 68 years old! ouch!

[SWFLguy]

I'm 66 and my big games are all
behind me--worked many play-offs
and intersectionals in CNY for my
first 32 years !
A "rookie" there would be lucky to get
a Varsity game in his 3rd or 4th season.

[RefNVa]

We put a rookie in the SJ/FJ position on several varsity games. But he was an exceptional official and adapted well, plus we were devestated by job transfers, retirements etc. We normally require an official to put in at least 3 years, but I did get 1 varsity game during my soph. year. :"D

[Bob M.]

REPLY: SC Ump...congratulations. Sounds like you're off to a great start. Believe me, it can only get better!

Here in NJ, we're pretty much forced to use second-year guys in varsity assignments. Sure, it would be better to get them more seasoning at the sub-V level, but with our current numbers, that just isn't possible.

[ljudge]

We require 2 years before we allow a cadet to take a test. I asked for an exception to be made for a 1st year guy and got one citing the North often sends officials after their 1st year. I'm out a Linesman and need one real bad and this guy impressed my LJ and BJ so much that the sub-varsity level that we requested him.

We sent 6 guys from the South on Saturday. Someone told me the North sent 60!

[JasonTX]

Number 8 just convinced me to never be an Umpire. I worked a few 7th grade games at Umpire and I came out with bloody knuckles and a sore calf. That's the last time I'll work that position.

Originally posted by ljudge
We require 2 years before we allow a cadet to take a test. I asked for an exception to be made for a 1st year guy and got one citing the North often sends officials after their 1st year. I'm out a Linesman and need one real bad and this guy impressed my LJ and BJ so much that the sub-varsity level that we requested him.

We sent 6 guys from the South on Saturday. Someone told me the North sent 60!

LJ,
I was there. There wasn't a total of sixty guys. Central; Jersey sent 9 and of those 4 were first year officials. Still waiting on the results but in the pass couple years CJ has more first year officials pass the test then advanced officials. The association made it a one year program a few years back. I think it needs to be changed back 2-3 years before being able to take the test.

I was just reading how the North Virginia FOA does it and they seem to have a great idea. Which is, 3 levels the official must work and score higher on the test as the level increases.

[SC Ump]

Thanks for the good wishes. I enjoyed it quite a bit and am looking forward to more.

As for varsity in the first year, I think the norm is that rookies in SC might get perhaps one or two at a small school if they're lucky. Most of mine were smaller schools.

Being that we are a little down on staffing helped me. Secondly, we do not take the exam written by NFHS. Our state director develops an extra tough one. I think this year's average score was about 78. I had an 86, outscoring my mentor and the Position Chief for umpires. (Only by a point or two, but enough that people noted it.)

To those guys with 30+ years. My hat's definitely off to you. Thanks for all you've added to the sport!

Originally posted by SC Ump
Thanks for the good wishes. I enjoyed it quite a bit and am looking forward to more.

As for varsity in the first year, I think the norm is that rookies in SC might get perhaps one or two at a small school if they're lucky. Most of mine were smaller schools.

Being that we are a little down on staffing helped me. Secondly, we do not take the exam written by NFHS. Our state director develops an extra tough one. I think this year's average score was about 78. I had an 86, outscoring my mentor and the Position Chief for umpires. (Only by a point or two, but enough that people noted it.)

To those guys with 30+ years. My hat's definitely off to you. Thanks for all you've added to the sport!

Same here in Jersey. Each chapter takes a turn writting the exam...Alot harded then the T/F NFHS test (which I know some states do use).

[waltjp]

Tom, you were there on Saturday? I asked about you and was told that you weren't at the test site. Maybe next time I have to ask someone who knows you.

I know the north chapter had a fairly large class but I don't think it was 60. 40, maybe. I've worked with a couple of them. There are a few good ones there.

[michaelpr]

when i started just 5 years ago, it was unheard of for a rookie to get a varsity assignment here in middle georgia. in that short period, things have changed a good bit. we were forced to use everyone on our roster this year. at the last game of the season, my clock operator was the only one in our association that had not been on the varsity field. at the half it was 55-0 so, i took the clock for the second half. hopefully that will give the rookie something to build on for his future.

Originally posted by waltjp
Tom, you were there on Saturday? I asked about you and was told that you weren't at the test site. Maybe next time I have to ask someone who knows you.

I know the north chapter had a fairly large class but I don't think it was 60. 40, maybe. I've worked with a couple of them. There are a few good ones there.

Walt,
I am at everything we do (cadet training). I had 7 guys from my class who were able to take the test. 40 still sounds high but I didn't do a head count.

Atleast the dude could have said maybe I was there and that he didn't know who I was. I know I was talking to three North Jersey guys. I saw the two guys who did the chains on our play-off game (from LJ's area). I don't remember their names?

[Jim S]

Originally posted by JasonTX
Number 8 just convinced me to never be an Umpire. I worked a few 7th grade games at Umpire and I came out with bloody knuckles and a sore calf. That's the last time I'll work that position.

Believe it or not, it gets better at the higher levels (assuming you do). The players don't make as many mistakes, The routes are run better, when you see a formation you have some idea what might be coming, you start seeing the leaning and tendencies of player that are a tip-off as to the direction.
Best seat in the house!