ASA/USA 14A in Salem, VA

[Tru_in_Blu]

I just got a late invitation to work this tournament in Salem, VA.

A few questions:

Is anyone from this forum going to be there? 7-26 to 8-2-15

For any locals or anyone that may have worked this area in the past... What can I expect from an umpire's point of view about the venue(s)? Locker rooms or changing out of my car like last year?

I'm driving down so any tips on roads to take or avoid?

From the website on the tournament, there are 3 complexes that are to be used.

Haven't yet heard from UIC, as I just submitted my contract yesterday.

Thanx for any inputs.

[CecilOne]

I inserted comments in blue.

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

I just got a late invitation to work this tournament in Salem, VA.

A few questions:

Is anyone from this forum going to be there? 7-26 to 8-2-15
Not me

For any locals or anyone that may have worked this area in the past... What can I expect from an umpire's point of view about the venue(s)? Locker rooms or changing out of my car like last year?
At Moyer, a building with an ump room & bathroom, others don't remember.
I'm driving down so any tips on roads to take or avoid?
We take I95, I66, I-81 from northern MD; problems depend on avoiding Balt & Wash at rush hour, especially Wash
From the website on the tournament, there are 3 complexes that are to be used.
Moyer is great, Betancourt I heard is better.

Haven't yet heard from UIC, as I just submitted my contract yesterday.

Thanx for any inputs.

[Insane Blue]

Have fun Ted I am hoping to get one next year back east if possible Being from So Cal it is hard to get more than one in a 5 year period.

[Tru_in_Blu]

Originally Posted by Insane Blue

Have fun Ted I am hoping to get one next year back east if possible Being from So Cal it is hard to get more than one in a 5 year period.

Hey, IB, hope you're doing well.

Seems strange you need to wait for a tournament every 5 years. Seems like there are so many tournaments out your way.

My first tournament was Hillsboro, OR and my roomie was a 4th year umpire working his third National. How's that work?? He was from Seattle.

[Insane Blue]

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

Hey, IB, hope you're doing well.

Seems strange you need to wait for a tournament every 5 years. Seems like there are so many tournaments out your way.

My first tournament was Hillsboro, OR and my roomie was a 4th year umpire working his third National. How's that work?? He was from Seattle.

We have so many umpires that it takes time to cycle through. I did work a couple of days at the San Diego National last year but I don't count it as I was a fill in.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

Hey, IB, hope you're doing well.

Seems strange you need to wait for a tournament every 5 years. Seems like there are so many tournaments out your way.

My first tournament was Hillsboro, OR and my roomie was a 4th year umpire working his third National. How's that work?? He was from Seattle.

The answer to "How's that work?" is highlighted in your post.

The ASA umpire leadership in that area networks quite a bit to try to get every one of their umpires that wants to go to a national to a tournament appropriate to their skill level. These are mostly host exchanges, so the umpire is responsible for all travel expenses to and from the tournament.

[Tru_in_Blu]

Being from the northeast, we obviously host very few National level tournaments. There may be one occasionally in CT, but in scanning the book for locations, I didn't even see NY/NJ as hosting anything. (Looked @ JO only.) We must not have the venues to be able to attract large tournaments. When we hold our State Tournament each year, it's typically at 4 different locations that aren't even particularly close to one another.

Whatever National tournaments I've attended have always been as HE. I'm not a 20-30 year veteran umpire under the age of 50. As such, I wouldn't consider myself in that upper echelon of officials country wide.

I'm happy to be able to work a National and hope to increase my game and rules knowledge by working w/ more experienced officials. Those are the benefits I get from having to pay my own way to a tournament. As most of us are well aware, we're not working a National to make money.

[Andy]

I would suggest talking to your local, state, and regional ASA UICs and letting them know of your desire to work in National Tournaments.

What happens after that is up to them, of course, but you need to let them know of your wishes and what you can do to fulfill them.

Good Luck!