umpires needed

[sandbagger]

high school umpires are getting a little ridiculous ...getting a bad umpire is almost expected now ...how could this be fixed...thoughts or feelings on the matter?

[riverdaleman]

high school umpires are getting a little ridiculous ...getting a bad umpire is almost expected now ...how could this be fixed...thoughts or feelings on the matter?

 

where do you live? what part of the state?

[ksgovols]

Where do you want me to start? There are good umpires but there's also a shortage of them. If an association has to send guys 50 miles one way to call a game, he's got to leave work early, pay for his gas and his meal and get raked over the coals by the fans to boot. They aren't making money in the deal or not a lot of it. By comparision, they can wait until travel ball season and call a weekend tournament and make $400 or $500 easy. Guys are going to softball because it's the same money in an hour and a half. There's lots of reasons.

 

I started the process to get my TSSAA certification and found that there weren't any opportunities that didn't require me to leave work early. There's practically no weekend games which astounds me, and you have to show up at 3:30 or 4:00 to call a game. Counting drive time, I'd have to leave the office right after lunch for some of these games. Lot's of umpires just wait for summer ball. That's what I did. I can call during the week after work plus a weekend of rec league games or a travel tournament that doesn't require me to drive back and forth or miss work and I'll make more money with less headache.

[davidlimbaugh]

high school umpires are getting a little ridiculous ...getting a bad umpire is almost expected now ...how could this be fixed...thoughts or feelings on the matter?

 

 

In 14 + years of being involved in high school baseball in this state I have seen less than a handful of 'bad' umpires.

 

A plate umpire one night in Cookeville a few years ago comes to mind.

 

We had a base umpire during the Riverdale Farragut game last Saturday at UT Lindsey Nelson stadium that was not a bad umpire per se, but his on the field behavior was terrible, even yelling at a fan in the stands during play and just having a bad attitude in general.

 

The vast majority of umpires are doing it for one reason, the love of the game. We are fortunate in our neck of the woods in that we have a great roster of umpires.

 

I have nothing but respect and appreciation for 'blue'. I wish the TSSAA had a mechanism in place to praise or complain about the umpiring as a tool to help weed out the one or two here and there that have no business calling or at least need to change their ways some.

 

Even the best umpires miss one ever now and then. But you would be surprised at the amount of times you think they have missed one and then look at the tape and see they had it right. And keep in mind how a lot of fans don't realize that high school rules differ from the game they watch on TV. I am amazed at the number of times I hear "that his second visit, he has to come out of the game!" and also remember the fans who don't even know the rules of the game, like years ago when a mom yelled at an umpire for 3 or 4 innings about how they would be winning if he got a call right at 3rd where her son, the catcher, threw out a runner at 3rd. Only problem was it was on ball 4 with runners on second and first.... About the 5th inning or so, between innings, the umpire in question went over to the backstop and called the lady over and explained the rule to her - remember it like it was yesterday....

 

Just keep one thought in mind. Playing a game with an umpire sure beats trying to play a game without one!

[66in74]

Where do you want me to start? There are good umpires but there's also a shortage of them. If an asociation has to send guys 50 miles one way to call a game, he's got to leave work early, pay for his gas and his meal and get raked over the coals by the fans to boot. They aren't making money in the deal or not a lot of it. By comparision, they can wait until travel ball season and call a weekend tournament and make $400 or $500 easy. Guys are going to softball because it's the same money in an hour and a half. There's lots of reasons.

 

I started the process to get my TSSAA certification and found that there weren't any opportunities that didn't require me to leave work early. There's practically no weekend games which astounds me, and you have to show up at 3:30 or 4:00 to call a game. Counting drive time, I'd have to leave the office right after lunch for some of these games. Lot's of umpires just wait for summer ball. That's what I did. I can call during the week after work plus a weekend of rec league games or a travel tournament that doesn't require me to drive back and forth or miss work and I'll make more money with less headache.

 

 

I did the same about TSSAA cert.

Couldn't get off early enough to travel etc.

I'll do the same. Just wait til summer and make good money (doing a good job) on the weekends.

[ksgovols]

And doing it in the sunshine and not in 30 degree weather!

[riverdaleman]

Limbaugh I could not believe that field umpire got into with a fan and then threatened the coach because he didnt like his attitude and coach hadnt done anything...him missing that check swing strike hurt though...

[Solomon]

Where do you want me to start? There are good umpires but there's also a shortage of them. If an association has to send guys 50 miles one way to call a game, he's got to leave work early, pay for his gas and his meal and get raked over the coals by the fans to boot. They aren't making money in the deal or not a lot of it. By comparision, they can wait until travel ball season and call a weekend tournament and make $400 or $500 easy. Guys are going to softball because it's the same money in an hour and a half. There's lots of reasons.

 

I started the process to get my TSSAA certification and found that there weren't any opportunities that didn't require me to leave work early. There's practically no weekend games which astounds me, and you have to show up at 3:30 or 4:00 to call a game. Counting drive time, I'd have to leave the office right after lunch for some of these games. Lot's of umpires just wait for summer ball. That's what I did. I can call during the week after work plus a weekend of rec league games or a travel tournament that doesn't require me to drive back and forth or miss work and I'll make more money with less headache.

 

 

Tell me how to sign up. I've always wanted to ump or ref but can't because of my 8-5 job. I can do summers though. I'm serious.

[rufus22]

Tell me how to sign up. I've always wanted to ump or ref but can't because of my 8-5 job. I can do summers though. I'm serious.

 

All you have to do to be an umpire/referee for TSSAA is to fill out a little application and pass an open rule book online test that you can take as many times as you need to pass it. In order to do region games you have to make an 80 or higher on another test (not 100% sure if its 80 or 85). The tests are over different situations and are multiple choice questions dealing with the situations and interpreting the rules of the game. But other than that, its best to get in with an Umpiring body such as the Clinch Valley Umpiring Association or whichever is closer to your hometown. More or less that is what it takes to be an ump. Usually you get started out doing middle school games and non-district games so that you get the hang of the whole thing, but if you can get a few of those games under your belt then you get better jobs with better teams and more games overall. I'm certified but I haven't had the time this season to take on any games because of school, but if you can get 3 games a week and get them reasonably close to your home, you can make some good money.

[sandbagger]

In 14 + years of being involved in high school baseball in this state I have seen less than a handful of 'bad' umpires.

 

A plate umpire one night in Cookeville a few years ago comes to mind.

 

We had a base umpire during the Riverdale Farragut game last Saturday at UT Lindsey Nelson stadium that was not a bad umpire per se, but his on the field behavior was terrible, even yelling at a fan in the stands during play and just having a bad attitude in general.

 

The vast majority of umpires are doing it for one reason, the love of the game. We are fortunate in our neck of the woods in that we have a great roster of umpires.

 

I have nothing but respect and appreciation for 'blue'. I wish the TSSAA had a mechanism in place to praise or complain about the umpiring as a tool to help weed out the one or two here and there that have no business calling or at least need to change their ways some.

 

Even the best umpires miss one ever now and then. But you would be surprised at the amount of times you think they have missed one and then look at the tape and see they had it right. And keep in mind how a lot of fans don't realize that high school rules differ from the game they watch on TV. I am amazed at the number of times I hear "that his second visit, he has to come out of the game!" and also remember the fans who don't even know the rules of the game, like years ago when a mom yelled at an umpire for 3 or 4 innings about how they would be winning if he got a call right at 3rd where her son, the catcher, threw out a runner at 3rd. Only problem was it was on ball 4 with runners on second and first.... About the 5th inning or so, between innings, the umpire in question went over to the backstop and called the lady over and explained the rule to her - remember it like it was yesterday....

 

Just keep one thought in mind. Playing a game with an umpire sure beats trying to play a game without one!

 

im not talk about bashing anyone one umpire ...ive seen many more than a "handful of bad umpires" throughout highschool....not only are the strike zones inconsistent but the knowledge of the game are not good enough by any means...if we keep the attitude that oh at least we have umpires then nothing will change ...why shouldnt they have just as much pressure on them as the players playing the field ...i love this game and when i see umpires that would be better off working in the concession stands it upsets me...they simply should do a better job its not as hard as some make it look....baseball in TN is very good compare to some states ...why arent the umpires following suit with the players?

[catsbackr]

Tell me how to sign up. I've always wanted to ump or ref but can't because of my 8-5 job. I can do summers though. I'm serious.

 

Why can't you umpire high school baseball with a 8-5 job? If you are serious about umpiring, you can find games that fit your schedule. Saying you can't do it because of your job is a cop-out to say the least. I do it, so can you.

 

How do you sign up? Go to your nearest high school, find out when the next baseball game is and attend. Before or after the game (preferably before), find the umpires and ask who their assignor is. Call the assignor and tell he/she that you are interested and follow their directions.

 

Pretty simple really if you are truly serious about wanting to umpire.

[catsbackr]

high school umpires are getting a little ridiculous ...getting a bad umpire is almost expected now ...how could this be fixed...thoughts or feelings on the matter?

 

Where are you from? What part of the state?

 

Are the coaches in you area expressing their displeasure with the quality of the umpiring to the local umpiring association? If not, why not? The schools are the customers of the umpires and if the customers are not satisfied, they usually find another service provider.

 

I don't know where you are from, but to make the statement that.."getting a bad umpire is almost expected now ..." is kind of sad and somewhat scary to say the least if it is true. Most associations have 10% really good umpires, 10% poor umpires and 80% average umpires. It sounds like you are only seeing the 10% poor umpires. I find that hard to believe.

 

As davidlimbaugh has said, most of us umpire high school baseball simply because of the love of the game and for the opportunity to remain a part of it. I'll not bore you about pay or travel or the inconvenience of trying to balance umpiring with a regular job. Suffice it to say that if you want to work high school or college baseball you really, really have to work at it. It is a balancing act.

 

In closing, I truly believe that most umpires go onto the field wanting to do a very good job. I am proud of what I can contribute to the game and I work hard on my appearance, rules knowledge, game management and mechanics so that I am able to perform my chosen task.