WCWS umpire head movement
 

Watching one of the games last night. Blond haired women is PU. What is up with the exaggerated head movement on pitches that were balls. I know about tracking the ball when it comes in, but this amount of head movement was ridiculous. Anyone else see this? Dave

She tracked the ball from release to the catcher's mitt. where would the head go. I've done the same thing on pitches like that. no one ever said do not do that.

Not only do I see it, I expect it. Not only are the umpires tracking, they are also telling the players, coaches and fans where the ball is.

Have you noticed what you call exaggerations are often, if not always, on "ball" calls?

Well if you expect that much head movement, you must be terribly disappointed in many umpires you watch. No one else that I've seen in the WCWS has had that much head movement. I've watched many good umpires and have yet to see that much. Are you saying they are doing it wrong then? Dave

Not disappointed at all, but TS isn't the only umpire using their head to indicate pitch location. Some use it more than others and it may be more obvious base upon how far back the umpire, or catcher, may be set up.

It is not a big deal. As a viewer I appreciate the head movement as it helps me understand better what the umpire is seeing.

The only reason I brought it up is because the CCA Softball Umpires Manual, under tracking the ball, says in part, "observe the entire flight of a pitch with only slight head movement. Try putting your nose on the ball and keeping it there. Head movement will occur as the ball is followed in. Head movement is not used as an indication of pitch location." In my estimation, she had way more than slight head movement. Also. head movement is not to be used to indicate pitch location. Dave

Well, TS has umpired at a higher level that this, so I'll allow her the benefit of any doubt.

You go where the ball takes you and if that means a turn of the head, I'd rather they see the ball than lose it.

Ok many of you know the names of the WCWS umpires, I don't. I am watching the Washington/Georgia game and the PU looks great back there. Strike zone looks very consistant. If you watch her, she has only very, very little head movement while tracking the pitch. She is way more in line with the top umpires I've seen work before. Dave

The head movement is expected and actually required in order to call that level.
I went to the ISF school still in the habit of locking in due to so many years of baseball and I have to tell you that every one of the staff got on my about it.
Merle even got to the point that in the cage he would take a broomstick and tap me on the head when I didnt' give enough head movement.

Once I learned to give that extra head movement, it was a rare event for a coach to be demonstrative and ask the old, "where was that pitch at"

It works, it communicates and it lets you shack the gnats away from your face:D

I don't even for a minute believe that much head movement is needed at that level. If it were, why did the other two umpires working with her, have very little head movement at all. They are working the same level as her. My OP never said anything about how there shouldn't be any head movement, only that she seemed to have way too much. Dave

I noted it in another thread before you posted this one. It was too much for NCAA ball. I think last night showed how it should be done.

Thanks Wade, for a minute I thought I was the only one who felt that way. Dave

Agreed. Quite a few deviations from the standards we are evaluated on. You'd think the WCWS crew would more accurately represent the "ideal" that others are judged against.