Advice on website

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

Anything like this site? Seems to have become stagnant lately.

Well, that's not exactly what I'm going for. I've written a few pages already (VERY rough draft), and perhaps I could give you guys a link those so you can have a clearer picture of what I was referring to.

However, the blog idea that came to mind was more from a concept of making sure I updated on a regular basis, giving the visitor something new to look at and consider. For example, if something comes up during my nightly games, bring it up on the blog (in an appropriate manner, of course).

Like I've said in the past, when I first started (at age 15), I had virtually no one to mentor me other than my father (who only umpired as a volunteer and was never sent to any rules clinics). He helped a lot, but I was still largely unguided for a number of years before someone else came along and took me under her wing for a while. Until then, I was simply unaware of the importance of the little things: shining up my shoes (which I now do before every night I call games - yes, really), having the exact uniform (Fechheimer instead of Dockers), keeping my shirt's buttons from turning purple, and even how to keep my hat looking sharp (instead of buying new ones every few months after washing them a few times would ruin them). These are things that come as second nature to most of us now, but may not seem so obvious to a new blue on the field.

The site would be meant for someone either starting out as an umpire, or someone who lacks guidance (ie., a volunteer umpire in a rural area that doesn't provide enough opportunities to grow as an umpire). Perhaps it's just my way of contributing to the field (I hope, anyway), or perhaps it's my way of repenting my sins as a young blue. It'd be a meager contribution, certainly not meant to compete with this forum.

The blog idea also has the added potential of collaboration with other umpires, which can be a blessing if I start running low on material. However, I'd like it to be a one-stop-shop to help bring umpires up.