Umpire Rating Systems

[SRW]

Does your organization have a way or a system to rate umpires? If so, how is it done? Do you use it for post-season or championship assignments? Is it fair? Who evaluates? Can you challenge your rating? Do people ever get a lower rating than the previous year?

[azbigdawg]

Originally Posted by SRW

Does your organization have a way or a system to rate umpires? If so, how is it done? Do you use it for post-season or championship assignments? Is it fair? Who evaluates? Can you challenge your rating? Do people ever get a lower rating than the previous year?

If you go through the year without pissing me off or making me do paperwork..... you get a good rating.....

[argodad]

Originally Posted by SRW

Does your organization have a way or a system to rate umpires? If so, how is it done? Do you use it for post-season or championship assignments? Is it fair? Who evaluates? Can you challenge your rating? Do people ever get a lower rating than the previous year?

Our HS association has an Evaluation Committee (required by FHSAA). Additionally, the officers do evaluations of umpires when possible. The evals are shared with the Recommendations Committee, who makes our post-season recs.

Last year we added a "Peer Evaluation" component in which each umpire has the chance to rate all of the umpires who are eligible for post-season play.

Can you challenge your rating? Not really.

Do people ever get a lower rating than the previous year? Yes.

[Skahtboi]

Our HS association does have a board who conducts evals based on a set of certain criteria. They do not effect post season play, however, as TASO has a set guideline on what constitutes an eligible official for post season play. Their guidelines are that an official must attend a certain percentage of the local chapter's meetings, must attend a state or regional clinic. the passing of the state exam, and a certain level of proficiency points. There are three grades; Certified, Registered, and Approved. Anyone who falls in the last category cannot work post season play. (This includes all first year officials).

I feel the system in place here is reasonably fair, though as with any system, it has its faults as well.

There is really no instrument in place to allow an official to challenge their evaluations or their state ratings, though with the evaluations you can at least discuss it at length with the evaluator. As to the state rating system, you can ask for leniency to be granted for failing to get the required points where "extenuating circumstances" exist.

And yes, people get lower ratings than the previous year if they fail to meet expectations. That's the nature of the beast.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by azbigdawg

If you go through the year without pissing me off or making me do paperwork..... you get a good rating.....

Uh oh.........

[wadeintothem]

we have one based on Levels I(rookie/10U's)-V(ISF/elite), but its new and a work in progress.

[MGKBLUE]

Our high school has eveluation postcards that are given to the coaches before each game for completion and mailing to the board.

The cards are summarized and given back to you on a regular basis. In most cases, the ratings (on a scale of 5) are considered in light of the score and the coaches personality.

I like this system.

For consideration for post season, you are required to get at least 5 evaluation cards returned along with other critieria. (Passing the test, attending meetings)

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by MGKBLUE

Our high school has eveluation postcards that are given to the coaches before each game for completion and mailing to the board.

The cards are summarized and given back to you on a regular basis. In most cases, the ratings (on a scale of 5) are considered in light of the score and the coaches personality.

I like this system.

For consideration for post season, you are required to get at least 5 evaluation cards returned along with other critieria. (Passing the test, attending meetings)

I have often wondered about systems like this. How the heck does a coach know how to evaluate an umpire?? How many coaches know anything how mechanics that umpires use? To me, this sounds like a very flawed system from the get go. JMO, of course.

[argodad]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

I have often wondered about systems like this. How the heck does a coach know how to evaluate an umpire?? How many coaches know anything how mechanics that umpires use? To me, this sounds like a very flawed system from the get go. JMO, of course.

We used to have coaches mail in evaluation cards. It was worth next-to-nothing with respect to giving umpires solid feedback.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by argodad

We used to have coaches mail in evaluation cards. It was worth next-to-nothing with respect to giving umpires solid feedback.

This is true. I can sit down with a pile of coaches' evaluations and tell which team won the game.

I have no problem with a coach providing feedback, but not as a determining factor in assignments, regular or post season.

[topper]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

Our HS association does have a board who conducts evals based on a set of certain criteria. They do not effect post season play, however, as TASO has a set guideline on what constitutes an eligible official for post season play. Their guidelines are that an official must attend a certain percentage of the local chapter's meetings, must attend a state or regional clinic. the passing of the state exam, and a certain level of proficiency points. There are three grades; Certified, Registered, and Approved. Anyone who falls in the last category cannot work post season play. (This includes all first year officials).

I feel the system in place here is reasonably fair, though as with any system, it has its faults as well.

There is really no instrument in place to allow an official to challenge their evaluations or their state ratings, though with the evaluations you can at least discuss it at length with the evaluator. As to the state rating system, you can ask for leniency to be granted for failing to get the required points where "extenuating circumstances" exist.

And yes, people get lower ratings than the previous year if they fail to meet expectations. That's the nature of the beast.

Wow! Taso does all that up there in N TX? Down here, even if there were evaluations taking place, there are far too many playoff games to be covered. If only good umpires were qualified to call in the postseason, they would have to drastically cut back on the number of teams making the playoffs.

You also failed to mention TASO's puppet master, UIL, and how their mandates determine much about postseason assignments. Allowing HS coaches to pick their officials is absurd. UIL determines the make-up of the state tournament based more on race, gender, and geographical diversity than umpiring ability. I have seen some really bad things happen at state from an umpiring standpoint
.

[CajunNewBlue]

Well I asked... (big mistake) we have the cards the coaches fill out and send in post-game....(love those) and our assignor (whom i asked this question) tells me that if they (committee) "like" you, you get better assignments. I asked him how he gets time to evaluate us, when he is so busy umpiring (lack of umpires, like everyone else) he says don't worry about it and that he is everywhere. sigh.
fyi: we are getting a new assignor this year and its our turn to make girls cry at the state finals (if things don't change at the LHSAA after the big a$$ fiasco that happened at last years state tourney) .. i only went for one session to spectate and the quality of umpires was so bad that I was embarrassed for them.

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by topper

Wow! Taso does all that up there in N TX? Down here, even if there were evaluations taking place, there are far too many playoff games to be covered. If only good umpires were qualified to call in the postseason, they would have to drastically cut back on the number of teams making the playoffs.

You also failed to mention TASO's puppet master, UIL, and how their mandates determine much about postseason assignments. Allowing HS coaches to pick their officials is absurd. UIL determines the make-up of the state tournament based more on race, gender, and geographical diversity than umpiring ability. I have seen some really bad things happen at state from an umpiring standpoint
.

First of all, TASO does that everywhere in the state. The actual on field evals are the domains of the individual chapters, so if they are not happening, you need to address your board. If there are any umpires working a playoff game that do not meet the minimum requirements set by TASO where you are, then upon discovery, those games will be rendered void. The guidelines are there for everyone to read, both coaches and officials, on the TASO website.

UIL is the governing body for all HS competition in the state of Texas, and has been long before there was a TASO or anything else. It only stands to reason, then, that they will have a say in how events are conducted in the state, since that is the nature of their business. The officials that appear at the state tournament are those that their individual chapter's board (president, VP and secretary) have stated repeatedly are in the top 25% of their officials. Therefore, if you have seen officials that are less than worthy of working a state tournament (and I know you have), then the blame rests sqaurely on the board of that official's chapter. They submitted the name, time and again, and stated that in their opinion this was one of the best that they have. (Which, sadly, may be true.) You can't hold either TASO or UIL responsible for this. In fact, I know of at least two incidents when these less than able officials have been sent packing by the folks at the state tournament, never to be allowed back. They don't want to see it anymore than you do. So of course this statement, "UIL determines the make-up of the state tournament based more on race, gender, and geographical diversity than umpiring ability," is totally incorrect. The selections are made from lists sent by the individual chapters, and the points that official has earned via TASO.

I do agree with you on the coaches having the ability to select officials for post season play, though.

[topper]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

First of all, TASO does that everywhere in the state. The actual on field evals are the domains of the individual chapters, so if they are not happening, you need to address your board.

Adressing these boards is akin to telling the dinosaurs to make way for the mammals.

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

So of course this statement, "UIL determines the make-up of the state tournament based more on race, gender, and geographical diversity than umpiring ability," is totally incorrect.

So you're saying that of all the HS officials in the state of Texas, the top 15 of the top 25% of their chapters that are working state just happen to be this diverse racially and genderwise, and are equally divided among the far flung regions of this rather large state? Please!

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by topper

So you're saying that of all the HS officials in the state of Texas, the top 15 of the top 25% of their chapters that are working state just happen to be this diverse racially and genderwise, and are equally divided among the far flung regions of this rather large state? Please!

No. That isn't what I said at all. What I said was the individual chapters submitted lists of their Top 25%. Ergo, the lists that the chapters submit are that diverse racially and genderwise. Are you saying that you don't feel that it should be diverse, considering all the geography and culture this state spans? Do you feel that you can umpire a better game and are better prepared to handle the pressures of the state tournament better than, say, a Dora Martinez? I am really not sure what your beef is, or what you are getting at.