Enough Umpires

[kellerumps]

I read in the Santa Claus post, that IrishMafia wanted enough umpires to work the state series.

Is this really a problem? Do other areas have a difficult time finding quality umpires for big tournaments?

Have the organizations(ASA,USSSA, etc) made it to difficult? Further, what can all of us do to promote this crazy obsession/hobby of ours?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by kellerumps
I read in the Santa Claus post, that IrishMafia wanted enough umpires to work the state series.

Is this really a problem? Do other areas have a difficult time finding quality umpires for big tournaments?

Have the organizations(ASA,USSSA, etc) made it to difficult? Further, what can all of us do to promote this crazy obsession/hobby of ours?

What makes you think the sanctioning bodies have anything to do with my umpire shortage?

The problem is with the local associations who have their private tournaments to handle. Those assignors have a minimum of a two week jump on the state tournaments. To be honest with you, too many umpires would rather work the local tournaments than the state because they can pretty much do whatever they please and wear whatever uniform they want.

I always talk to folks about working states, but that doesn't help. Until I can get the attention of the better umpires, I'm pretty much relegated to whatever umpire I can get on the field and it isn't always pretty.

Our states consist of two-umpire games with a payout of 22/26 per game for SP/FP respectively. It use to be considered an honor to work a state, now it is just another tournament to many and they are not that big.

[kellerumps]

The reason I question the santioning bodies is because of our story.

My wife and I are both NCAA Div 1 Umpires who work major conferences but never much summer ball due to where we live. A couple of years ago, we were contacted by a local UIC to see if we were interested in working states. We said sure, we just want to call some ball.

Anyway, that spring, the advanced clinic that umpires must attend every year to be eligible to work states was held on the first Sunday of our college season.

We were told point blank by our State UIC that if we didn't attend this clinic then we could not work states. I understand that you must have a way to evaluate umpires, but in our area, sometimes I believe that they are to hard core in their stances.

Is that the sactioning body??? Or is it the State UIC??? Don't know....I just know some people over our State UIC came to our defense and helped us out.

If an umpire is good enough to work states, then use them!!!! Don't hold a $30 clinic over their head or at least offer the clinic in the fall or late January BEFORE some of us get going.

Do we want the good tournaments...You bet...We both have goals and doing the good tournaments will help achieve them. If nothing else, it will keep us sharp for our college stuff.

This past summer our ratings were good and right now, we already have our schedules for next summer's state tournaments. We will fill in with local stuff now.

Is our situation an isolated incident???? Maybe, but I know of alot of good umpires who are not used in states because they didn't attend a clinic for whatever reason.

Don't get me wrong, we are not bitter....We just want to call some ball!!!!!

[IRISHMAFIA]

All comparisons to ASA are generic as I am not aware of which sanctioning body kellerumps is referring.

Originally posted by kellerumps
The reason I question the santioning bodies is because of our story.

My wife and I are both NCAA Div 1 Umpires who work major conferences but never much summer ball due to where we live. A couple of years ago, we were contacted by a local UIC to see if we were interested in working states. We said sure, we just want to call some ball.

Purely semantics, but just to make sure some rooks don't misunderstand, there is no such thing as a NCAA softball umpire of any division, at least not yet. You and your wife are umpires who work NCAA softball games.

Anyway, that spring, the advanced clinic that umpires must attend every year to be eligible to work states was held on the first Sunday of our college season.

We were told point blank by our State UIC that if we didn't attend this clinic then we could not work states. I understand that you must have a way to evaluate umpires, but in our area, sometimes I believe that they are to hard core in their stances.

Is that the sactioning body??? Or is it the State UIC??? Don't know....I just know some people over our State UIC came to our defense and helped us out.

If an umpire is good enough to work states, then use them!!!! Don't hold a $30 clinic over their head or at least offer the clinic in the fall or late January BEFORE some of us get going.

Do we want the good tournaments...You bet...We both have goals and doing the good tournaments will help achieve them. If nothing else, it will keep us sharp for our college stuff.

This past summer our ratings were good and right now, we already have our schedules for next summer's state tournaments. We will fill in with local stuff now.

Is our situation an isolated incident???? Maybe, but I know of alot of good umpires who are not used in states because they didn't attend a clinic for whatever reason.

Don't get me wrong, we are not bitter....We just want to call some ball!!!!!

It is probably the State/Metro by-laws which require umpires to attend at least one state or regional clinic to qualify for state tournaments. This is a good thing. I have found (and you will see posts about these types on here) too many umpires will skate as long as you allow them to get away with it.

There are too many rule changes, not only within ASA, but the other sanctioning bodies for a "green" to keep up and be on top of their game without attending a clinic of whatever organization you are working. Reading the rule book just doesn't cut it sometimes.

The only time an umpire is charged for ANY training around here is the State School which is required within an umpire's first three years of joining ASA and that is $15. All other clinics are free of charge.

There is also an issue of being fair to all umpires. Why should you and your wife be able to just step right into some great games without meeting the same requirements imposed on other umpires? What if you committed to an ASA function and then found out it was the same day as a required clinic to work NCAA ball? Would you expect or be permitted to skip the NCAA clinic and still work college ball? If not, why would you expect anything less from other sanctioning bodies? Obviously, these questions are rhetorical as I have no knowledge of the requirements which are demanded of you to work NCAA ball.

An exemption to work certain tournaments I could understand, but to just give you a pass because you work college ball just wouldn't be fair to others.

I'm not being judgmental of you and your wife, or insinuating that either of you fall into any particular catagory above, just voicing the concerns with which I deal on a regular basis.

JMHO,

[kellerumps]

Purely semantics, but just to make sure some rooks don't misunderstand, there is no such thing as a NCAA softball umpire of any division, at least not yet. You and your wife are umpires who work NCAA softball games.

You were correct about the semantics, I stated that poorly. I should have said that we are on the approved Umpire Lists for D1 Conferences. However, the NCAA is working on some National Umpire system.

I do understand where you are coming from. It seems that in your area, the standards are a little more flexible and cheaper, ie one state school in the first 3 years for $15, and no charge for anything else.

Around here we must attend a state school every year at $30(each) and a rules interpritation meeting at $25(each). If you don't then you will not work states. Like I said, I understand the need to have some way of determining skill levels and dedication. I just also believe that there always other alternatives.

Do we expect to move ahead of other umpires just because we work NCAA, NO. We were asked, we accepted, and then the problems started because we could not attend this clinic. That is what I was complaining about.

You are correct in saying that there are certain functions we must attend to stay eligible for NCAA ball. These are scheduled 1 year in advance so the chances of conflicts are minimized. To avoid these problems with our local stuff, we received the the dates for our summer meetings(Our UIC thought I was crazy for wanting the dates 1 year in advance).

Please don't misunderstand me, umpiring has been very very good to us. We have been able to travel from Montreal to Florida to Oaklahoma just to call some ball and have made some great friends along the way. Who knows....Our paths may someday cross

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by kellerumps

You are correct in saying that there are certain functions we must attend to stay eligible for NCAA ball. These are scheduled 1 year in advance so the chances of conflicts are minimized. To avoid these problems with our local stuff, we received the the dates for our summer meetings(Our UIC thought I was crazy for wanting the dates 1 year in advance).

Please don't misunderstand me, umpiring has been very very good to us. We have been able to travel from Montreal to Florida to Oaklahoma just to call some ball and have made some great friends along the way. Who knows....Our paths may someday cross

Maybe so. My next function will be the Bi-annual UIC Clinic in OKC in February. If anyone on the board is going to be there, hunt me down.

[ronald]

Kellerumps,

What's the procedure to get looked at to umpire NCAA games?

Thanks

[kellerumps]

The NCAA is currently working on a formal system to develop NCAA Umpires. So, right now there is not a "Standard" way. However, the U.S. is broken up into thirds with a Umpire co-ordinator responsible for that area.

Go to http://www.cactusumpires.com and click on College Stuff. The co-ordinators are listed. Once you find out who is in charge of your area, I would e-mail them asking for their advice. Also find out who works college ball in your area and ask them.

Many assigners(at least in our area)use fall tournaments as a way to evaluate new umpires. If you make the cut, then they will assign you to some Jr. College/Div 3/Div 2 games for a season and then re-evaluate you the following fall.

To be honest, we happened to be in the right place at the right time with the right person. We were working a Little League 12 year-old tournament and a member of our crew was the assigner for a couple of college conferences(We had no idea at the time who he was). Anyway, after working with us for the weekend he asked if we would be interested in working some softball. We worked a couple of fall tournaments, received good ratings, and the rest is history.

[Elaine "Lady Blue"]

Mike Rowe,

You are THE ASA umpire after my heart!! I bleed ASA blue.
We pay our annual dues for ASA, an association fee of $20 (my association, others are similiar) and no fees for local clinics here in Metro Atlanta. The association dues are for postage, maybe a rental fee for meetings, flowers for the sick or in sympathy, etc. We also have a Regional Clinic ($10, hasn't gone up in 20 years) taught by a National Staff member, and a school that occurs on a Sat. and Sun. in February with clinic and on the field with at least 2 National Staff members ($60, hasn't gone up in 15 years). All are very beneficial to the rookie or seasoned umpire. Metro Atlanta ASA is a well respected organization and we always have great clinicians, including Merle one year--(I had a lot of fun with Merle).
As for college here, it is VERY political, and would cause me to kiss some a**. My former UIC tried to sponsor me into the group in 1998, and I was voted out, because I wasn't with the 'in' a** kissing crowd. Big deal! I would
have had to use too many of my vacation and personal days
to work college ball anyway.
As for shortage of umpires for tournaments, the only shortage Metro Atlanta has is enough quality umpires to work. A lot, like me, have retired, call only college or won't work them because they only want to pick games/teams
themselves. Two of our finest ISF Modified umpires have retired their blue shirts, and they were my best teachers.
Consequently, I have to bite my tongue, or have parents peel me off the fence at Renee's games because the quality of umpiring has declined over the past 5 years.
Sad, isnt' it?

[ronald]

Thanks Kellerumps.

Ron