ASA Rule; Access to,

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

There arent many like that, most are great to be around, but that type is around....

Yes they are. (sarcasm alert) By the way, did I tell you about the games I worked last night for $25.00 a apiece? That is ridiculous. I mean, I am used to getting per diem, plus 75.00 a game and seeing higher caliber play all at the same time. What are these rec league people thinking. Did I tell you the one about the time that I was working these two DII schools and.......

[DaveASA/FED]

Well I think this is an interesting discussion. I see all sides of this argument, I mean discussion. I agree everyone enjoys receiving their game fees for doing their job. And it is a “requirement” for most to be able to do this hobby that we love so much. I however make a distinction between “doing it for the money” and getting paid to do something I enjoy. “Doing it for the money” is what I do all day to pay my bills at home, I enjoy a lot of my “real” job, but not most of it. I enjoy most of umpiring, but not all of it. I get up everyday and go to work to put food on the table, I umpire to keep myself sane. Ya I use the money for extras, right now I’m remodeling a bathroom with the games fees from this spring. BUT the money is secondary to me, I do it cause I love it. By the way the wife can’t understand why I can get up ½ hour early to get to a softball tourney on time on Saturday, but smack the snooze button 15 times during the work week….hum, lets see….I enjoy umpiring, I have to go to work? Seems to make sense to me!!

I think that is the difference, I have seen several different flavors of umpires but the two extreme I see this way:
1) In it for the money, doesn’t attend any schools, keeps only bare minimum requirements (license valid) so they can call ball. Gets there late, looks terrible(worn out equipment) and doesn’t really seem to care about getting things right just getting the game over.
2) The opposite, cares about doing everything to their greatest ability always willing to learn, spends lots of $$ on training and time on studying mechanics and rules knowledge. Piles the checks up until there is too many to carry / stuff in the drawer then cashes them in and either pays off a bill, or buys something for the family.


About the loyalty issue I agree with both sides. I think you have to decide what is important to you. Is it to work an ASA national tournament? If it is then you need to build that resume that will allow you to do that. If it is to make as much money as you can in the year, then ya take the XYZ games that weekend you probably will make more money. I personally have no issue with either one, but chose a path and don’t ***** about being able to have gone down the other one. You know ASA pays $XX a game, you know you could have made $YY a game calling XYZ ball. Get over it you made a decision live with it.

And about NCAA umpires, I know several and some are very good. Some are better than me, some aren’t. Just cause you call college ball doesn't mean you “walk on water”. Could I make it calling college ball? I don’t know, probably will never know….I have a job that won’t allow me to take off the time necessary to find out. But I really don’t like the idea that I am a subpar umpire simply because I don’t call college ball. I work just as hard to get my skills better and I am doing ok, ya some are better that's ok gives me something to work toward but look at the skills not just what they do in another organization.

Someone mentioned something about passion for the game, I guess bottom line IMO as long as you have passion for the game, which to me means you strive to be the best at your job of umpiring and you follow your vision to get to your goal (ASA national championship, NCAA Super Regional, Olympics, maximize income) and you don’t whine about where you are vs where you could be then I have no issue with you.