Are you still umpiring?
 

For me the season (fall ball) ended last weekend. Other than some SP (which I'm not involved in) - softball is over. Clinics start in Jan and I still have my monthly meeting.. other than that.. done.

What are you up to at this time?

Last game was Nov. 4. All my stuff's put away.

A couple of years ago, I did a doubleheader in one of those "domes" the day after Christmas, so maybe that will happen this year, too.

Last hurrah
 

My last tournament is this weekend (7 games, only 14 teams, but still a tournament). Other than this weekend, I have to wait until January until FED starts up.

Seattle's last weekend fast pitch game was played on October 28th... and all of our slow pitch stuff ended about 2 weeks prior to that. We don't begin any meetings or trainings again until January.

The play-off (semi-final) in the dutch men-competition would start half septembre and just prior to that I broke my index-finger. It ended my season (way toooooo) early! The women competition had already ended that time...

Now about 2 months later I'm allowed to use the finger all the way. But bending it still hurts. See a physical thetapist twice a week. I expect in march, when practice season starts, to be there again!
Have a good winter!

I'm done - last weekend of Oct saw the last college fall ball game.
The other stuff ended by the end of Sept.
Mid Jan, there's the indoor cup over your way, Sander. And I think I saw Spencer's name on the list, too. Are you going this year?

I've seen the list also. Spencer is coming! But my name isn't on it. I'm planning to go see some games, though. If one umpire has to call off, mostly a dutch umpire wil cover. So I'm still not saying that I'm not going.
I've had a wonderfull tournament this year (Cup2007) with Sonny P and Larry W and others...
On the list is also the name of the dutch umpire who will go to the Olympics (Rob Veldkamp)

gotta love Florida! we have tournaments scheduled just about every weekend right up until spring season starts

I haven't participated yet - I plan to do so soon, but our indoor season started late October/early November, depending on when the leagues could get Dome time.

There are a handful of domes up here that have winter leagues. Mostly conditioning, experimenting and 'playing up'. It helps everyone keep in shape until we can get back outside.

About the same in Phoenix....three more weekend FP tournaments on the schedule before the end of the year, we will start right back up the first weekend in January, pretty much straight through the first part of August with HS and travel ball.

SP around here never stops, from what I've been told......

I guess you know how we envy you, too colds to play and apparently not far enough north for indoor domes. Nothing since late July, start again in March.

Just down the road from Mark, so same thing for me. Fall season ended late Sept. I've never gotten involved in dome ball, although I've thought about it from time to time. I kind of enjoy the off season, so that is one reason I haven't really embraced dome ball. It is also a reason I am not envious of our southern colleagues who have no off season. But, the few games I have called in a dome (HS scrimmages plus a tourney game or two that were trying to escape the weather and to actually finish the tournament), the dome is not "real" softball - too cramped behind the plate, too cramped outside the foul lines, short outfields, overhead obstructions, sometimes goofy "ground rules", etc. I just didn't enjoy it much. Maybe the mind set is better for an actual dome season rather than the situations above. Dunno.

Anyway, off season until clinics begin in Feb or so.

Wouldn't that be "floor rules"?

We just finished our last fall league games last week, I believe. Finally, my evenings are free again!

Thank god it finished when it did, too. It's starting to get colder in NC.

yes - 4 big tourney's in the Dallas area this weekend, more in 2 weeks

Yep, put all my stuff away..it was rainsoaked, so had to wait for it to dry. A good christmas tourney would be fun.

Same here, except no envy for southern counterparts. My season always ends the first weekend in August with an ASA tournament in Northern Michigan. At that time I am in transistion (clinics, rules meetings, etc) to VB which starts the end of August.

Now that VB has ended, I am enjoying the retired act, sleeping in mornings, having every night and weekend free to do inane things like typing on softball forums in the middle of winter.

I come out of hibernation in January as ASA/NFHS clinics and meetings start to fill the schedule. A couple scrimmage games late March, and on the field ready to go the first of April.

With respect to officiating, I have nothing left to prove. I don't give a da mn about ratings or evaluations or being selected for state or national tournaments. I simply enjoy being on the fields and courts with the kids - and the money fleshes out the retirement income. Life is good!

WMB

Very disappointing. Since you have nothing to prove, does that mean your approach to the game and mechanics change? Not saying that it does, just sorta sounds like it could.

Well, maybe "rug rules." :cool: I'm not sure what is under the fake grass.

Why?

Because my attitudes, beliefs, and/or opinions do not match yours?

If you knew me, you would know that is an insulting and degrading question. Whatever I do in life, I strive to be the best. In officiating it means that I still pay (money and time) for clinics and rules training, even though, having been a trainer, I could do a better job than many of the clinicians I see. When I go on the field or court, I still intend to be the best official out there. When asked by my partner what position I want (plate/bases - SB or Up/Down - VB) I usually pick the position that I am having some difficulty at that time so that I can improve my mechanics.

But I don't go on the court or field to please the coach or evaluator so that I can advance to some higher level. I only have to answer to myself.

So I only take on enough schedule each year to have fun and for it to be an enjoyable diversion from my regular schedule. I only do girl's sports because I don't want to put up with the crap with boy's or adult sports. Because then it is a job, not a fun leisure activity.

My pride is the only motivator necessary; I don't need coaches or evaluator's approvals to push me to do a good job.

WMB

I didn't say that.

Thank you. That's why I asked because I've heard the exact same statement from other umpires and hearing it here made me cringe. I would be shocked if we all haven't seen umpires who back off just because they think they do not need to impress anyone.

I'm talking about good, NC-level umpires that change dramatically. All of a sudden, the uniform becomes whatever they choose it to be that day. The mechanics start to weaken and signals become less crisp, when used at all.

I'm glad to hear you are not one of those umpires.

The only time I've gone out and changed something that may have been contrary to the book, or have told others to do so, is when the tournament UIC gives such an instruction. A good umpire will not change anything just because there isn't anyone rating him, but then again, you never know who is watching. Even when working alone, I often give an IF signal and wipe off even though I know there is no one there to return it. Like you, a good umpire will have too much pride in what they do to get lazy and take it easier because I have nothing to prove.

I'm glad to hear you are still a good umpire.

Thank you.

BTW - I still shine my shoes between all games in a tournament.


WMB

Indoor Cup - Netherlands
 

Season starts for me in Jan with the Indoor Cup in the Netherlands.
See you there Sander and Steve M?

I'll be there! If not in uniform, then I'm for sure there to shake your hand. Have a good winter.

(off topic)
Spencer, did I hear it whisper that you're planning to work games through the summer in Holland? Is that true?

Spencer - and Sander - yes I'll be there. And my wife wants to come watch me umpire for some reason. I wonder if it's the location................
Anyway, it will be good to have some new faces to put with names.

Indoor Cup
 

Steve,

I went to the indoor cup last year and had a blast. Denny got me in. You will love The Netherlands and Paris.

Be sure to have Sander buy you a real beer. He had to show me what a real beer was.

Larry White

Larry, Help me remember what kind a beer that was... I shall not have sold you "Heineken" as real beer. Was is stronger than "normal dutch beer", like "Dubbel, Triple or Trapsit"? Or was it the local beer they serve at the bar, which is already stronger (higher in alcohol) than in the States?
Did you like the beer that Niema bought us, from Köln (Germany)?

We have a beer around here with 10Vol% alcohol (Grand Prestige); for the first one, you'll take a chair and sit down. With the second one, you'll still be sitting. After the thirt you must be sitting, can't stand up...

There is real beer in the United States. Sadly, though, if it isn't BudMillerCoors most people are unaware of it. All I drink around beer time is real beer. There are over 1600 independent brewers in the US, and the "big three" get the majority of the sales. :mad:

North Carolina just raised their allowable alcohol content for beer from 6% alcohol to 18%. We've finally been able to get some good beers like Hoegaarden, which are at around 8% alcohol. Half a bottle, and I started feeling warm. :cool:

Done Till Feb....
 

Finished up last weekend. Nothing till a NUS school in mid February. Our HS meetings start about the same time. We have very little slow pitch ,which I do,over the winter.

This year's over, but I just got my first assignment for next year.

If winter comes, can spring be far behind?

Hopefully, next season
 

Spent the past 18 months on the disabled list (spine). Had surgery in July. Still working my butt off in physical therapy. Actually took my first jog steps this week -- no pain!!

My goal is to be ready for a late winter clinic. Man, I miss this.

Personally, I'd stop jogging immediately. A good, brisk walk with provide you with the same cardiovascular benefits of a jog without the effect on the feet, ankles, knees and back that a jog provides.

Yeah, I agree. I never do any running during a workout, just to avoid the impact on knees & ankles & hips. I'll do 2.5-3 miles a day on the treadmill. This year, I'm actually doing some lifting in addition to the cardio.

The last tournament of the 2007 season is this weekend for me. Even if there are any others scheduled that I don't know about, I will be too busy to work them before the new year.

Winter ball starts December 10th. I can't decide if I want to ump it or play it...

:D

I can now say that the season is officially over. 2007 is in the books. Of course, there are some tournaments already scheduled for the second week of January, so we don't get that long of a break.

slowpitch or fast?

FP.