Lessons Learned from 18U Gold (Long Post)

[SE Minnestoa Re]

Let me preface--I am both a baseball and softball umpire. I went to ASA National School back when I worked that level of ball.

I gave up ASA many years ago for numerous reasons. Too many games in a day when working tournaments, all the nitpicking of umpires by higherups, crummy pay per game...I could keep going on.

I currently work NCAA softball at the Division 2 and 3 levels. I work in an association that has proticals. However, nitpicking is not one of them.

Do I always throw my arms up on a foul ball straight back--no.

Do I sometimes use an unauthorized signal--sure

Do I hustle and work hard on the field and do I know the rules--absolutely

The bottom line is we need to get the plays right. I love mechanics that assist umpires in this goal. I am not a big believer in mechanics for the sake of mechanics. I worked my state's state high school softball tournament this spring and the UIC suggested we don't signal outs on routine fly balls. He said nobody is looking at the umpire anyway.

I liked that one. It made sense to me.

I'm sure if some ASA guy watched me work he would cringe with some of the things I do. Frankly, I have a hard enough time remembering rule differences, when in three consecutive days I work high school baseball, college softball and high school softball. Some of the book mechanics don't even hit my brain.