ASA National Umpire School

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by DaveASA/FED

He was working with someone trying to get them to get the wider heal to toe stance, paraphrasing but general idea:

Your plate stance is simple, its just like sitting on a barstool, then you lean forward a little bit to grab your beer. Only difference is the height of that bar stool changes with each batter.

Funny thing is I don't drink, but there was something in that description that has helped my stance become more comfortable. Can't really tell you what I am doing different but something has changed since i got that visual in my head and it feels a lot better.

I would think that sitting down to milk a cow is more definitive, but whatever works for you.

BTW, no leaning forward. My experience is that the shoulders will move forward without thought when you drop your hands down in front of you just for balance purposes. You start thinking about leaning in and all of a sudden that swoosh you hear is the bat passing your ear.

[SRW]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I would think that sitting down to milk a cow is more definitive, but whatever works for you.

BTW, no leaning forward. My experience is that the shoulders will move forward without thought when you drop your hands down in front of you just for balance purposes. You start thinking about leaning in and all of a sudden that swoosh you hear is the bat passing your ear.

I disagree - to a point. A slight lean forward is better than a straight back. If you're straight-back, you can easily lose your balance and fall backwards, and it puts all of the stress on your legs (not really a bad thing...). A slight forward lean balances your center of gravity better, and balances the stress between your legs and your torso.

Lean forward too much, and your body compensates by sticking your butt up higher in the air. Not a good thing.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by SRW

...A slight forward lean balances your center of gravity better...

I suppose that might depend on how much of your center of gravity is already naturally "forward"...

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by SRW

I disagree - to a point. A slight lean forward is better than a straight back. If you're straight-back, you can easily lose your balance and fall backwards, and it puts all of the stress on your legs (not really a bad thing...). A slight forward lean balances your center of gravity better, and balances the stress between your legs and your torso.

Go back and reread. I don't think we disagree.

I did not suggest a "straight back", though that is the term used. I specifically noted that unless you intentionally attempt to keep your spine perpendicular to the ground (ouch!), the top of your body will naturally move forward. When I said "no leaning", I meant (and thought clarified) to not intentionally lean forward as it may not be necessary and may place your mellon in jeopardy.

I have seen umpire intentionally lean forward and they adjust their foot for balance and all of a sudden, they are hooking the catcher.

[SRW]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Go back and reread. I don't think we disagree.

I did not suggest a "straight back", though that is the term used. I specifically noted that unless you intentionally attempt to keep your spine perpendicular to the ground (ouch!), the top of your body will naturally move forward. When I said "no leaning", I meant (and thought clarified) to not intentionally lean forward as it may not be necessary and may place your mellon in jeopardy.

I have seen umpire intentionally lean forward and they adjust their foot for balance and all of a sudden, they are hooking the catcher.

Gotcha. Yeah, we agree. If you go set, you should be able to look straight up by moving your head, not adjusting your body. If you have to adjust your body to look straight up because your neck is craned backwards, it's because you're leaning forward too much.

[DaveASA/FED]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

BTW, no leaning forward. My experience is that the shoulders will move forward without thought when you drop your hands down in front of you just for balance purposes. You start thinking about leaning in and all of a sudden that swoosh you hear is the bat passing your ear.

I agree, when he was dimenstrating the stance he went straight down as he went set, then leaned forward to a natural position when he mentioned leaning forward a little bit. He was not suggesting to lean forward (to a bad position) but more of a be naturally bent forward a little bit. I know reading what I put I agree with you not a good thing to say to lean forward too much, but with the visual it makes all the sense in the world Yet another reason it pays to go to these clinics, you can read it all day but you see it in action and it sinks in 100X better, IMO.

[Gulf Coast Blue]

I have been to two NUS' and found them to be very valuable. However........given the proximity to where I live and for financial reasons, I was not able to stay at the host hotel. I do wish that would have been different...........but given the schools were held within a 30-40 minute drive from me..........I could not really justify it.

Up until the time I had attended the ASA NUS, I had always thought of Wally Sparks as strictly our High School guy..............really enjoyed him at the ASA school.

Is Henry Pollard still doing any teaching..............he was an instructor at my first and was very entertaining.

Joel

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Gulf Coast Blue

Is Henry Pollard still doing any teaching..............he was an instructor at my first and was very entertaining.

Joel

To the best of my knowledge, Henry is not doing anything at the national level. He may be doing something locally in Central VA, but probably not a lot, if any.

[Steve M]

I went to a national school some years ago, in Philly, and thought it was well worth the time & expense. Not from what I learned at the school - that seemed, as others have noted, to be aimed at too low a level. Heck, I even found a volunteer catcher who had a hard time catching - I think he had a pitch bounce off of his knees

I want to highlight that the hospitality room was where the real benefit is. Where else can you have a 1-on-1 conversation with a NUS member -to say nothing of the regional or state uic's that are present?! I found a real benefit to this. And I met a number of other umpires from my region and others that confirmed some impressions and corrected a few misconceptions.

If you get a chance to go to one of these, go.

As for the advanced national school, maybe someday. Still too much going on now to take the time to attend.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Steve M

I went to a national school some years ago, in Philly, and thought it was well worth the time & expense. Not from what I learned at the school - that seemed, as others have noted, to be aimed at too low a level. Heck, I even found a volunteer catcher who had a hard time catching - I think he had a pitch bounce off of his knees

Maybe that is because the "batter" failed to follow then instructions given him. Any idea who that was, Steve?

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Maybe that is because the "batter" failed to follow then instructions given him. Any idea who that was, Steve?

Yeah, I think I remember that batter - had a history of ignoring/missing signs when I played, as I recall.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by DaveASA/FED

He was working with someone trying to get them to get the wider heal to toe stance, paraphrasing but general idea:

Your plate stance is simple, its just like sitting on a barstool, then you lean forward a little bit to grab your beer. Only difference is the height of that bar stool changes with each batter.

Funny thing is I don't drink, but there was something in that description that has helped my stance become more comfortable. Can't really tell you what I am doing different but something has changed since i got that visual in my head and it feels a lot better.

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I would think that sitting down to milk a cow is more definitive, but whatever works for you.

BTW, no leaning forward. My experience is that the shoulders will move forward without thought when you drop your hands down in front of you just for balance purposes. You start thinking about leaning in and all of a sudden that swoosh you hear is the bat passing your ear.

One point that comes out is that wording the same thing just differently often helps the message.

For whatever it is worth, I teach the visual to use is to sit down on a toilet. Same motion, just different wording that I find gets through to most.