League to Tourney transition

[KJUmp]

How many plate jobs in those nine games? Sounds like your local association is either short on FP umpires or you've got the bodies and they're just not available to work on weekends.
Agree with the other replies, nine in a day is way over the top. As in your area, our weekend travel tournament season is starting up this weekend. Hit 60 this year, and over the last 3 seasons came to the realization that five is my max (2 P's/3B's). If my tourney assignor really needs it, I can give him six in a day in a two games on, one game off rotation. But I'll be honest, late in the day I'm a good step and a half slower on the bases and find myself 'cheating' and compensating for it.... never a good thing. And then there's the whole battle of maintaining proper concentration and focus on every play as the day gets lonGer and body gets weary and sore.

[umpirebob71]

I WAS scheduled for 6 today, until Mother Nature had other ideas. But mine were spaced out nicely...2 on, 1 off, 2 on, 1 off, 2 on, done. I think that's the best way to work multiple games.

[Tru_in_Blu]

I'll second the opinions of others that say 4 or 5 should be the most in a day.

I work with some guys that would do 12 in a day if we let them, and those later games are not near the quality they should be to provide the teams with a reasonably good level of service. Course some guys are just as bad game 1 as game 6, but that's a different matter.

I've let my assignor know that my max is 5 a day and I'd prefer 4, especially if he wants me to do the last game or couple games of a tournament. I'd like a chance to rest up before doing an "if" game or championship game.

We often times start on a Friday night and a few fields have lights so we can play 2 that first evening for teams that are close by. I also like the 2 on, 1 off schedule that was mentioned. It's nice to be able to get my feet off the ground for a bit. Gravity pulls a lot harder later in the day!

[MD Longhorn]

To answer most of the questions..

It was not poor scheduling, there were reasons for everything - many personnel related that I don't want to hit here. This association has a LOT of umpires - this particular weekend, though, we were ALL pressed into more service than is normal due to 3 tourneys at different locations.

The 7 in a row was 4 pool games (60 minutes apart), finish the batter. Easy, low key games - 2 base, 2 plate. Then 2 14U bracket games on the bases, followed by an 8U solo bracket game. Was not so bad on my body as I thought it might be, and a good day.

The 5 was 4 in a row (2 base, 2 plate), 1 off, then plate for the championship.

That game probably worthy of a post on it's own - possibly the most enjoyable game I've done.

Back a bit sore, legs a bit sore - but the worst is actually my chapped lips - didn't chapstick nearly often enough. I feel a lot better physically than I thought I might. And definitely enjoyed the higher quality of ball.

Edit to add... the 9 was originally 7, changed to 9 when an umpire couldn't make it, changed back to 7 when he rearranged his work schedule. Would have been a break after game 7, then 2 on the bases, had it happened as I thought when I made the post.