ASA National Umpire School

[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.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Steve M

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

I'll see Bobby Monday night and tell him you said hello. Guess you should expect to feel your ears burning around 8:30 PM

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I'll see Bobby Monday night and tell him you said hello. Guess you should expect to feel your ears burning around 8:30 PM

When you see him, Mike - tell him I really said hi. I didn't get to know him well, but he seemed like a good guy. I'll try to remember to hoist one - once I feel my ears burn