First Night out for our Rookies

[rodan55]

We do something like that. We start our clinics the latter part of January. We have an on-the-field clinic and the a pre-season tournament in early March to expose the rookies to live action. The trainers, one usually around the plate and the other outside near 1B, guide them during the games. We work 2 man in our games, so we team a rookie and a trainer during the spring season and monitor their progress.

[CelticNHBlue]

We just started an early season play date for 12B and 14B teams with coaches and mentoring umpires on the field to teach the players and 1st and 2nd year umpires during live action. There is no pressure for the players to play to win since we don't keep score and everyone learns a ton. We felt it went very well and received tremendous response from the coaches and new umpires. Unfortunately, we don't have the ability to continue with the mentor thing throughout the year, partners will mix and match, but we have several weekend tournaments where progress can be monitored and bad habits fixed early.

I think what you have, Bugg is another great way to ease new blood into the game and a great story as well.

[msrock1954]

Wish we had some kind of mentoring system here in Michigan, as too many young officials have bad experiences right off the bat and give it up!!!! A mentor is a great way for brining new blood into officiating, as I know when I was starting out and working with a much more experienced official I felt much more comfortable. I had no trainers, mentors, but more or less learned by the seat of my pants and continue to learn something new every season!!!! Not that I think I know all there is to know, but I'd love to be a mentor to a young official, as I know I could help them avoid some of the bad habits and mistakes I made when starting out!!!!

[Andy]

Originally Posted by msrock1954

Wish we had some kind of mentoring system here in Michigan, as too many young officials have bad experiences right off the bat and give it up!!!! A mentor is a great way for brining new blood into officiating, as I know when I was starting out and working with a much more experienced official I felt much more comfortable. I had no trainers, mentors, but more or less learned by the seat of my pants and continue to learn something new every season!!!! Not that I think I know all there is to know, but I'd love to be a mentor to a young official, as I know I could help them avoid some of the bad habits and mistakes I made when starting out!!!!

Then I would challenge you to get a program started in your area. Schedule some time with your UIC to get him to buy into it and get going. As all of us old farts (myself included) keep getting older, we need to make sure that we are getting new young blood in the Blue. I, too, love being able to pass on the knowledge I've accumulated from my mentors to help a newer umpire who desires to get better.