NFHS Equipment Checks

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by roadking

Your partner is setting the wrong tone for the game, if he's out there looking for things to call it's going to be a long game for you!

Somewhere along the line, HS softball coaches were told to put equipment outside the dugouts, because that's what's routinely done in our area. I have no idea why, but I suspect it has to do with the following:

- Makes things quicker for the umpires if everything's already laid out
- Keeps some separation between umpires and players/coaches in case there were any issues from previous games
- Some team dugouts are just too small to accommodate umpires trying to check equipment while players are also in the dugout
- There may be things that umpires just don't need to see inside the dugouts (girls adjusting uniforms, etc.)

Purely speculation on my part behind the reason(s). Regardless, it's extremely rare that teams don't but "bats and hats" along the dugout facing. And in situations where the teams haven't done so, a simple request has never been questioned in the past. Almost always, the team just didn't get around to it. This was the first time I've heard a coach question the requirement.