Organizations

LIUmp · #1 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 23, 2011, 10:48am

How many of you umpire for multiple organizations? Can you give me a better idea of how it works around the country?

To clarify, I am a girls fast pitch only umpire.

There is an organization that I am a part of that is no longer getting consistent work - 3 to 4 tournaments all year and very few leagues. Other organizations are growing rapidly in my area. Eventually one group will be left with little to no work.

I officiate for multiple organizations but there is pressure to "stick to our base group" and not work for rival organizations, as the thought is, if we work for these groups, the rival groups will grow and it will leave us out of work. That if we stick to our base group, these other organizations and leagues will come back to us because of the quality of our umpiring. However, the opposite is now happening, as our base group's umpires are growing more upset that we are losing work, and the rival leagues are seeing explosive growth.

How does it work where you all live? I am under the theory that I am an independent contractor.

How would you handle this pressure as described above?

Az.Ump · #2 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 23, 2011, 02:45pm

“Oh! Come and see the violence inherent in the system! Help, help! I'm being repressed!”

Good luck with the politics and remember to duck when the shizzle flies.

Paul

RKBUmp · #3 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 23, 2011, 03:51pm

I see someone is watching Monty Python today also..

Az.Ump · #4 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 23, 2011, 04:25pm

No just doing chores. It just reminded me of the local drama. Sometimes all you can do is laugh.

“My philosophy, like color television, is all there in black and white”

Paul

LIUmp · #5 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 23, 2011, 07:29pm

Okay...any one else have any advice or can shed some light on how it works where you live? I appreciate the duck comment as I am doing a lot of that lately. But I am also looking for insight here. So what would you do? I don't want to be making an uninformed decision. I really need the help.

Az.Ump · #6 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 23, 2011, 08:30pm

LIBlueASA

None of us know the local politics and if we did PM, email or in person would be preferred over a public forum. So advice would have to be generic. In no particular order.
1) It is a small universe in umpiring, so pay attention to what you say. Say nothing that you would not want everyone else to hear.
2) Honor your commitments. If you take an assignment for one group do not beg off and take another.
3) Be honest. If you are doing games for one group and are asked be truthful.
4) Be a great umpire and work tirelessly at improving. Be in high demand for your skills.
5) Support the people who have helped and mentored you. Again if it comes up as to why be honest. Any competing organization should respect your loyalty to those who have helped you. If the situation changes and you have to switch they can count on the same loyalty. If they can’t respect that, it probably tells you more about them than they want you to know.
6) It’s a free country and you can work wherever you want. Be suspicious of anyone who has an issue with it.
7) Know you own goals and know the path that leads you there. If you are forced to make compromises only you can determine if they are worth it.
8) Politics suck unless you are a politician.
9) Have fun otherwise do something else.
10) Good luck.

Paul

Little Jimmy · #7 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 23, 2011, 08:54pm

I work for different organizations for different reasons. High school ball is the domain of one of them. That is their territory so I am a member. I do a small amount of college ball and am a member of 2 other associations for that. Summer/tourney ball is run by a 4th.

All of these associations know that I work for the others. In fact many of the people who run things are multiple members themselves. I'm lucky that there is no real overlap problems for me. I did have to make a decision a few years ago about summer/tourney ball. 2 organizations take care of youth tourneys in my area and I had to make a decision. I did and I don't regret it. I was as upfront as I could be with both sides.

In the end I like to think that I make these decisions on the people I will be working with. Loyalty to any group of letters is one thing, but I think being involved with good officials on the field the majority of the time is the kicker.

LIUmp · #8 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 23, 2011, 09:06pm

I know this can be a little confusing and hard to fully discuss in a public forum, so I would greatly greatly appreciate it if anyone could PM me and I will give the details and explain more clearly.

I look to this place for help on the ball field, and now I look to this place for help in the grander picture. Thank you all.

SC Ump · #9 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 23, 2011, 09:10pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Az.Ump

1) Say nothing...
2)
3) Be honest.
...

And when in doubt, go with #1.

But seriously, the way it is around here is...

Unless you are planning on trying to move up in one of the organizations, to become assignor or UIC or something like that, I would not worry much about the "stick to your base group" mentality. Most all the seasoned rec officials work multiple organizations. However, I find it best to just not mentioned to assigners of one organization if I have assignments with another. If I am not available on a particular weekend, I just say I am not available. For the tournament ball, and since teams sign with multiple organizations, too, the assignments with competing organizations usually do occur on the same weekends.

I say the above but if I am going to be fully forthcoming must tell you my actions would indicate otherwise. After many years in umpiring, I personally have chosen to work with only one organization. I got tired of paying so many registration fees and playing politics with so many different assigners. The assigners usually give preference to the people that (1) are always available & experienced, (2) are always available & inexperienced, (3) schmooze & pester them often, (4) everyone else on their list of those paying a registration fee. I hated when I would fall from category #1 to #4 if I missed even one weekend tournament.

DaveASA/FED · #10 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 25, 2011, 03:04pm

I really think it depends on what you want out of your umpiring. Are you there to make more money? Are you there to advance your skills and be assigned to (enter name of the highest level tourney for your org. here)? Do you want to become a UIC or association rep?

You have to do a little soul searching to really determine what you want once you know what you want then that will help steer you on what to do. I personally care more about developing myself as a better umpire than I do making the most money I can. I do this as a hobby and want to be the best I can be, the money.....we (or the wife does) spend it don't get me wrong but for me it's a bonus not something I HAVE to do to pay the bills. So I stick with the organization I started with, the one that has the only real training program in my area so I can continue to get critiqued and find help in making myself a better umpire. That's what's important to me so that's what I do, if I wanted or needed the money there are other organizations that pay more and have more work, but that's just not my focus.

Politics are various but in my mind it all boils down to what do you want, then figure out what is the best way to get it. Do you want $$$ then work whatever whenever however. Now if you don't work for ABC you won't get another tourney for a year (political impact) then you might want to work for ABC this weekend for $20 a game instead of XYZ for $25 since there are more ABC tournies coming up. Again your specifics will be different but figure out what you want out of umpiring then weight in the politics and do what will be the most likely to get you where you want to go!

Good Luck!

HugoTafurst · #11 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 25, 2011, 04:12pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Az.Ump

LIBlueASA

None of us know the local politics and if we did PM, email or in person would be preferred over a public forum. So advice would have to be generic. In no particular order.
1) It is a small universe in umpiring, so pay attention to what you say. Say nothing that you would not want everyone else to hear.
2) Honor your commitments. If you take an assignment for one group do not beg off and take another.
3) Be honest. If you are doing games for one group and are asked be truthful.
4) Be a great umpire and work tirelessly at improving. Be in high demand for your skills.
5) Support the people who have helped and mentored you. Again if it comes up as to why be honest. Any competing organization should respect your loyalty to those who have helped you. If the situation changes and you have to switch they can count on the same loyalty. If they can’t respect that, it probably tells you more about them than they want you to know.
6) It’s a free country and you can work wherever you want. Be suspicious of anyone who has an issue with it.
7) Know you own goals and know the path that leads you there. If you are forced to make compromises only you can determine if they are worth it.
8) Politics suck unless you are a politician.
9) Have fun otherwise do something else.
10) Good luck.

Paul

nice

Steve M · #12 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 25, 2011, 09:11pm

Once upon a time, I did nothing but ASA's men's fast pitch. As good mn's fast pitch died out in my district, I looked for something else.
Now, I work for a number of organizations, including different summer ball groups. The main reason for that is that there is no advancement possible is PA's district 4 for ASA.
In the summer, I'll work games for PONY, ISC, and soon to be U-Trip - in addition to ASA. I've found that ASA in a differect Pa district or two and another state are run a lot better than district 4 in Pa - so the ASA games I do are usually not in my home district.
In the spring, high school and college ball take all of my time and efforts.
Our local umpire chapter is indepentdant - willing to work within any sanctioning body. A coach that I have a lot of respect for stated that his first goal is to get kids on the field, then worry about teaching them the game. Our local umpires' group is maionly concerned with preparing umpires to be on the field, then helping each to improve their game.
To hell with any sanctioning body that requires you work their games only.

AtlUmpSteve · #13 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 25, 2011, 11:03pm

I must be in a more ideal world; I know I have discussed Steve's world with him.

In my world (metro Atlanta area), my group calls ASA and high school only. There is no need to call anything else; from late February until mid-October (earlier and later for a select few), I can keep the vast majority as busy as they wish.

I don't stop anyone from calling other ball; I strongly support that they are independent contractors. That goes both ways, so they know they drop a notch on the priority list when they decline because they work outside. If the outside is NCAA, I give them every opening for that advancement without any penalty.

As an association, we are requested all the time. I can dictate to parks, leagues, tournaments, that we work ASA, and that is what they need to be if they me and my group. When the consensus is that you have the best product, the teams/leagues/etc will meet what you require.

I suggest that they stay ASA just because 1) it has the best training, 2) just one registration per year, 3) just one set of uniforms to buy, and 3) I can keep them busy in most cases. There just isn't any reason to go outside if your primary group can keep you busy.