Received Coaches Complain

[Axe Man]

Wade...your post reminds me of my days calling youth softball in Georgia. I know nothing about the league but my guess is that it is run by a board of coaches/parents. In a playoff game, I ejected a coach for conduct. We had a rule interpretation later in the game and low and behold, the coach I ejected is on the field. His explination, he is on the board and needs to be involved.

Should the UIC change the schedule for the coach...no. Will he, yes. My advise is to take the games that you are assigned and do them to the best of your ability for the rest of the time you committed for. If you feel the need to move to another league after that, let the UIC know that you will not be returning to work for him in the future. He is in a difficult spot, he tries to get the best umpires on the games and deal with the league. Do what you can to help the UIC out and they will take care of you in the future. If not, look elsewhere. Good luck with the league.

[mcrowder]

I disagree. If UIC moves wade around to avoid this coach, I think wade should leave. This is uncalled for, and inappropriate.

Last Tuesday, one of my umpires made an egregious error in a game. Coach came unglued and was ejected. Commish of the league came over and the error was corrected. I was asked the next day to not let this umpire call any more of that team's games.

I refused and told the person who asked me that even asking was inappropriate. Umpire knows he made a mistake and doesn't hold grudges. I even told this person that even if I wanted to, it was unavoidable on Saturday. Sure enough, Saturday rolls around, and I get two frantic calls on my cell phone while at the Rangers-Yankees game with my son. Too bad ... play on. There's no WAY I will remove him from doing any particular team's games.

The PS to the story is that in a Sunday game with that same team, U (on bases - I was at plate) made a very borderline (albeit correct) 8' circle (or LBR to you ASAers) call against this same team's opponent in the semifinal of a tournament.

Bottom line - if the UIC bends to the will of this coach, things will only get worse.

[wadeintothem]

The situation pretty much died on the vine I would guess. The season is closing and I was moved to 14U last week where I prefer to be anyway and had asked to be and I have my last set of 14U next week. I will be doing some type of championships late june for that league - so it wasnt held against me as far as I can tell - I was still selected. I start working for my 3rd rec league this fri.

I dont know how it will go next season - but like I said in another post I am going to be going to NFHS clinics to start doing HS ball next year- and as much rec as possible. I was not confident enough before now to do HS ball. That is in no small part thanks to the umps on this board. With season end, I dont really have a way to gauge if the UIC will be bending to the coach but he is a fairly strong UIC - so we'll see next year. It's not my primary league anyway.

[azbigdawg]

Wade, I have to politely disagree about the situation being resolved. I would NEVER move an umpire just because of a conflict with a coach. I think you and the UIC need to have a friendly discussion about his lack of support.