FastPitch Softball

accurate · #1 (**permalink**) Fri Aug 23, 2002, 09:11pm

Anyone here call fastpitch softball??
I just started calling High School last week. With my first games being a long Saturday Tourney. 9am til 11:40pm
Enjoyed it but boy was it some kind of hot. It's been about 9 years since I've stepped on a field and you bet I felt it the next day and the next and even the next.
If there's any more fastpitch blues let me know..
Thanks Ronnie

Gulf Coast Blue · #2 (**permalink**) Fri Aug 23, 2002, 09:41pm

There are a ton of us here Ronnie............

Welcome.................you will find some extremely friendly guys/gals here...................

I only called 180 games this year..........(one of my slower years because of Tournament rainouts).......

BUT...........I still have Fall Ball to look forward to.................

The regular umpires on this board have probably 30,000+ games under their belt (combined)..........

Soooooooo...........blast away.........we have probably seen it before........

My first rule............."Have Fun"..........

Joel

[Edited by Gulf Coast Blue on Aug 23rd, 2002 at 09:44 PM]

Steve M · #3 (**permalink**) Sat Aug 24, 2002, 12:15am

Ronnie,
Joel's right, most of the folks here work fastpitch and under a whole lot of different sanctioning bodies. I know there is a handful of states that have high school ball in the fall. Which one are you in.

BEGIN EDITING
Since I see we're all listing what sanctioning bodies we follow, I thought maybe I'd list mine, too.
Softball
ASA, NFHS in Pa that's PIAA, NCAA
I am the chapter interp for both my ASA and PIAA chapters
Baseball
PIAA, American Legion, Adult wood bat leagues

Steve M

[Edited by Steve M on Aug 24th, 2002 at 05:53 PM]

Elaine "Lady Blue" · #4 (**permalink**) Sat Aug 24, 2002, 02:16am

I call ASA and NFHS Fastpitch in Georgia when I not on hiatus for poor health. My daughter is on a JV team. Where are you located, Ronnie?

whiskers_ump · #5 (**permalink**) Sat Aug 24, 2002, 09:39am

accurate,

Welcome aboard

ladie.

As stated by previous colleagues

we all
do fast pitch for various associations. However, there are
some that only do slow-pitch, but they are good people also,
and have contributed greatly to our education of the softball
world. Good luck and keep us posted [pun huh?],

glen
[AFA, ASA, NFHS, USSSA, LL[softball only]

Skahtboi · #6 (**permalink**) Sat Aug 24, 2002, 01:22pm

Step away from the smilie site Glen! You are having waaaaayyyy too much fun with those!

Ronnie...I call nothing but FP anymore. I work under the auspices of such organizations as NFHS, ASA, USSSA, and Dixie. I gave up calling slowpitch about a year and a half ago, and swore that I would never go back again. Besides, here in North Texas there is plenty of FP to keep an umpire busy from February all the way through October at least.

Scott

Dakota · #7 (**permalink**) Sat Aug 24, 2002, 02:54pm

Welcome, Ronnie.

I only call fast pitch - ASA mostly with some NFHS.

whiskers_ump · #8 (**permalink**) Sat Aug 24, 2002, 06:43pm

Quote:

Originally posted by accurate
Anyone here call fastpitch softball??
I just started calling High School last week. With my first games being a long Saturday Tourney. 9am til 11:40pm
Enjoyed it but boy was it some kind of hot. It's been about 9 years since I've stepped on a field and you bet I felt it the next day and the next and even the next.
If there's any more fastpitch blues let me know..
Thanks Ronnie

Ronnie,

check out this website. It is one of our groups and
has a handfull of information. Especially in the handout
section.

http://www.eteamz.com/sites/GCBUimpre

A Must for

's

glen

Sorry Scott, but things are slow and I don't call until next
week. Things pick up then.

accurate · #9 (**permalink**) Sat Aug 24, 2002, 08:35pm

I call in South Ga where there is not a whole lot of fast pitch. There are a handful of teams who have been playing more than two years and the others are new. It's alot different than i'm used to. I haven't called in about 9 years so this association looks at me as sorta new. Doesn't matter right now but I had a chance to prove myself this past weekend at a tourney. The uic told me he had never seen anyone like me that wouldn't slow down. I told him that I have always tried my best to be in the best position possible.
I wanted to call ball here earlier but my city just went fastpitch and the slowpitch is a joke, well, meaning I've always been accustomed to stepping on the field looking my very best as well as being my best. When the umpire shows up in jean shorts and looks like everyone else????? You tell me.. am I being too whatever or do any agree?? An umpire I think should set themselves apart from the rest.

I think after this year I'll reach out and try to call more fast and slow pitch. I also want to get into baseball.

I will be posting some questions soon and I thank all of you for the welcome.. I think this is just one of the neatest things about the net,, being able to share this sorta stuff when otherwise, you wouldn't.

Thanks again Ronnie

Skahtboi · #10 (**permalink**) Sun Aug 25, 2002, 03:06pm

Quote:

Originally posted by accurate
I wanted to call ball here earlier but my city just went fastpitch and the slowpitch is a joke, well, meaning I've always been accustomed to stepping on the field looking my very best as well as being my best. When the umpire shows up in jean shorts and looks like everyone else????? You tell me.. am I being too whatever or do any agree?? An umpire I think should set themselves apart from the rest.

Thanks again Ronnie

Right you are Ronnie. We should always present the best image possible when we are working an assignment. A lot of people don't realize that everytime they walk onto a field, they are representing the entire profession for their area. We should always strive to look our absolute best, making sure that the uniform we wear is neat and to specification. Another thing that a lot of these "relaxed" types of umpires don't realize, and that is it is a fact that sports officials who look the part, take pride in their appearance and how they carry and conduct themselves, are much less likely to have a call questioned than one of the "good ol boys" who are just out there for a quick buck.

Scott

deeno27 · #11 (**permalink**) Sun Aug 25, 2002, 08:33pm

Hi

I also umpire fast pitch as well--this was my first year.

I agree with what has been said about appearing professional. This weekend, we had the Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament. At the most competetive court, there are always licensed officials wearing stripes. This year, just guys in T-shirts. They did a fine job (actually, a pretty darn good job), but I think they may have lost some respect from the players as they did not "look" official.

Just my 2 cents.....

Diana

Steve M · #12 (**permalink**) Sun Aug 25, 2002, 09:12pm

Ronnie,
I agree. I heard this and said this for as long as I've seriously umpired. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. If you take the field looking like the perfect umpire - uniform and conduct - you just bought yourself a couple of innings of pretty much hassle free umpiring. After that, you'll have to earn it. On the other hand, the guys in the basketball game you mentioned may have been the best refs ever, but they looked like bozo the clown & crew and got that kind of respect.

Steve M

Del-Blue · #13 (**permalink**) Mon Aug 26, 2002, 06:00am

Welcome Ronnie,

I'm here in Delaware, so our Fastpitch doesn't start until March. Then it's still cold and wet.

NCAA, ASA, NFHS for me. been doing it for 15 years. Some slow pitch, but usually leave the premadonas for Mike.

Bob

Dakota · #14 (**permalink**) Mon Aug 26, 2002, 09:28am

Around here, we don't get guys/gals who show up completely out of uniform, but still, we have a bunch who put little effort into looking sharp. Some of the things that annoy me are sweat-stained hats, unofficial hats, unshined shoes (I don't mean "just didn't get it done this time" unshined, but "haven't been shined since they left the factory" unshined), non-regulation shoes (i.e. with white trim). Even had one girth-challenged female umpire wear skin-tight, tapered leg pants - sure, they were the right color, but they looked ridiculous. (Don't misunderstand - I have nothing against girth-challenged umpires - that category would include me - but let's at least TRY to look professional and not like some parent out of the stands.)

It takes just 5% more effort to look professional. Not putting out that effort tells me the umpire is not serious about his/her job.

Gulf Coast Blue · #15 (**permalink**) Mon Aug 26, 2002, 08:32pm

DAKOTA WRITES..........(I don't mean "just didn't get it done this time" unshined, but "haven't been shined since they left the factory" unshined)

I already have all my shoes shined for Fall Ball...........and it is 3 weeks away...........grin

I am not going to have all my pants pressed beforehand though.......they still have pretty good creases from Post Season.........

Joel