Burning out..........

[baldgriff]

OK here is a question for all of you to mull over. I will use myself as the example since this applies to me currently.

This summer I am working SP games 4 nights a week doing 4 games a night. The season up here in MN started for me back in early May. Over the last 8 weeks I have done 16 regular league games a week. I have also worked 6 tournaments doing about 17 games each weekend. So over the last almost 2 months I have worked over 225 games (all done 1 man).

Anyway, I show up at the field last night and I know I have what should be a good game on my 2nd game of the night, the others were likely to be pretty much all ready determined outcomes based on team talent and what each team has done so far this year. Well the 1st game was a blowout - no surprise. The 2nd game wasnt close either and I was looking forward to that one. By the middle of the 3rd game I could tell I really wasnt into it. I just wanted the night over. Partly because the ball being played was really pretty bad and the other that I just didnt care.

Last night was the first time all season, where I know I didnt do my best. I even told my wife that last night. It bothered me then and is still bothering me today.

How do you all break out of a bit of a funk? I had no energy yesterday and I know if I have that night again tonight I will get eaten up.

Thoughts?

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by baldgriff

OK here is a question for all of you to mull over. I will use myself as the example since this applies to me currently.

This summer I am working SP games 4 nights a week doing 4 games a night. The season up here in MN started for me back in early May. Over the last 8 weeks I have done 16 regular league games a week. I have also worked 6 tournaments doing about 17 games each weekend. So over the last almost 2 months I have worked over 225 games (all done 1 man).

Anyway, I show up at the field last night and I know I have what should be a good game on my 2nd game of the night, the others were likely to be pretty much all ready determined outcomes based on team talent and what each team has done so far this year. Well the 1st game was a blowout - no surprise. The 2nd game wasnt close either and I was looking forward to that one. By the middle of the 3rd game I could tell I really wasnt into it. I just wanted the night over. Partly because the ball being played was really pretty bad and the other that I just didnt care.

Last night was the first time all season, where I know I didnt do my best. I even told my wife that last night. It bothered me then and is still bothering me today.

How do you all break out of a bit of a funk? I had no energy yesterday and I know if I have that night again tonight I will get eaten up.

Thoughts?

It may not be burnout (though it could be...that is a lot of games) but maybe an indication of a need for a bit of a break.

I found out this year they CAN play softball without me.

We CAN do too many games. And don't forget that umpiring a bazillion games a year has led to more than one failed marriage.

Sometimes a week or weekend away from the ball park can do you - and others - a lot of good.

[baldgriff]

The umpire crew where I worked, finally got them to reschedule games that were scheduled for the 2nd and 3rd of July. I am looking forward to the slow down that happens late July to mid August when "Fall Season" starts.

[Mountaineer]

It sounds to me like it was one night. I think there are times where we don't always have our "A" game. Heck, even people like Michael Jordan have/had off nights! I wouldn't beat myself up over one night. While it's true that you've worked a ton of games in a relatively short time span, it could be that this was your Haley's Comet night - one that comes around every 75 years! If you struggle again tonight you might want to take a night off or even a weekend. I still think you will be fine - just a bad night!

[CecilOne]

That is way too many games. After your vacation, cut your league schedule to half as many nights and do half as many games on weekends. And then have three consecutive days off every third week.

I hope no assigners read this.
Seriously, over work does no one any good in the long run.

[Ran.D]

Nothing seems to go slower than a lopsided slow pitch game. Try calling something different, or using a partner.

I've been also calling fastpitch and high school summer league baseball. Slowpitch becomes a nice change of pace, I can even put up with the grown men whining (most of the time).

[baldgriff]

Originally Posted by Ran.D

Nothing seems to go slower than a lopsided slow pitch game. Try calling something different, or using a partner.

Two man used for a league game or even tournament games is almost unheard of. I get to do 2 man games very infrequently.