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Wed Jul 13, 2005, 04:06pm
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Quote:
 The other night a didn't hear a peep about my strike zone but I knew it wasn't my best. At least when someone else is yelling you know they usually don't know what they're talking about.
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Sara 
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Wed Jul 13, 2005, 08:01pm
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The whole female umpire thing was more difficult in my first years of officiating. I think that now that I am the same age as they are they know I've been around.
Officiating drunks is not worth my time. I did a slowpitch tournament about 8 years ago and by early Saturday evening it did not matter what I called they thought it was wrong. That was it. I knew I was calling a good game and that was the last time I worked tournament slowpitch. After 15 years of calling fastpitch if someone is upset about a call I usually know why. Sometimes I am more angry at myself than they are. The mens' fastpitch that I do is not all that bad. They can't play that game drunk. The mens' teams around here know me as I have some of their kids in my classes. It will be a challenge for me to prove myself to unknowns as I will do higher levels this August. I still love the intensity of good competition though and that's what keeps me going.
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ASA,NCAA,FED,NAFA
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Wed Jul 13, 2005, 08:27pm
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Being an umpire however, and moreover being a FEMALE umpire, I catch grief each time I walk onto the field. I played on a nationally ranked team when I was a youth and I take great pride in doing my best when I step onto the field as an official. I know the rules, I hustle, I always am in good position to see each of my calls.
I have no doubt in my mind that I would not catch 1/2 of the grief I do if I was a man. I agree that women umps have it worse than men. I was working a very strong college look tourney right before Thanksgiving in So Cal. One of the teams parents was giving my female partner a hard time while she was working the bases. Stuff like she was one of the worst he had ever seen. Between innings I went over to him and asked what he would like her to do better. After he stammered on for a minute I informed him that she had recently returned from Greece where she worked the Olympics. I was honored just to be on the field with her and this a_ _ just turned red and we didn't hear from him the rest of the night.
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Wed Jul 13, 2005, 10:31pm
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I'm sorry, but I don't buy the female arguement.
Gender doesn't make any difference, the players and coaches poach on anyone they think is new or weak. The only reaction to such move is a calm and collected response. Do not let them see you as prey, but a worthy opponent. Just like playing the game, let your performance do your talking for you and demand the respect. Dump those who need to go and nurture those trying to support the game in general. I don't care what gender an umpire is, they have to walk on the field in proper, neat dress, display confidence and act in a professional manner. Knowing the rules and the proper mechanics is also required. That means clinics and schools, any the umpire can attend. Never walk on the field as a male who believes they are the boss, nor as a female who believes they are in for a rough night with the MCPs. Never walk on the field as a male or female. Walk on the field as an umpire. I've seen a few female umpires who could have done well, fail in their job. But it was their fault, no one elses. They walked on the field with a chip on their shoulder. There was one nice young lady who could have gone far at the national level, but she was more concerned over parsing comments made by the players and chasing them into the dugout and out of the park. Same with the male umpire who use to look and listen for anything which could be construed as an argument and, in a heartbeat starts dumping players and challenging the others to see "who was next"! You cannot do this job behind a curtain of fear or threats. Playing into such detrimental positions only worsens any situation which will rarely, if ever, improve. JMHO,
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The bat issue in softball is as much about liability, insurance and litigation as it is about competition, inflated egos and softball.
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Wed Jul 13, 2005, 10:47pm
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Nice editorial.
__________________
glen _______________________________ "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." --Mark Twain.
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Wed Jul 13, 2005, 11:24pm
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No, on second thought, I don't. 
__________________
We see with our eyes. Fans and parents see with their hearts.
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Thu Jul 14, 2005, 06:32am
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Quote:
__________________
The bat issue in softball is as much about liability, insurance and litigation as it is about competition, inflated egos and softball.
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Thu Jul 14, 2005, 08:16am
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Well, I'm kinda partial to females, even married one!
I have worked with many female umpires and most tell me they feel that they are percieved as being in a "man's role" (in a GIRLS GAME no less!). I have seen a 6'2' coach try and argue with my 5' wife/partner, he didn't have a chance! The females I have worked with are a joy, they are usually mild tempered, knowledgable, and call an excellent game. A funny from this past weekend; My wife and I were calling a tourney, I was BU, she had the dish. I was in the 1B slot and a woman outside the fence wasn't agreeing with the strike zone (can you imagine that?). After one call this woman said "did HE call that a strike?" I couldn't resist answering. "No ma'am HE didn't call it a strike, but SHE did". "Is that a woman?" she asked. I replied "Yes ma'am, I know for a fact it is, I've seen her naked!" Didn't hear another peep from her the rest of the game! There you go..a female umpire catching flak...not because she was female, just because she was dressed in blue!
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Thu Jul 14, 2005, 09:47pm
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__________________
David
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Fri Jul 15, 2005, 10:48am
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I always tell the guys that work for me to have a big 5. The five people that matter what they say to you. For me it's my two kids, my parents and my grandmother. If they aren't the person yelling at me I don't let it bother me.
On the flip side I also tell them when someone tells them great game, they need to listen when they say bad job too.
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