Umpires, yes umpires

[catsbackr]

And i stand by what I've said, too.

 

What association are you with?  Like I said, your association needs to get a lot better real fast.

 

In our association in the Chattanooga area, we hold association meetings every Monday or Tuesday beginning the first week of January and go until the season starts.  We discuss rule changes, NFHS points of emphasis, etc.  We also have mechanics training at one of our local schools, inside and on the field, to go over positioning, rotations, responsibilities, plate mechanics, etc. at least 2 times prior to the season.

 

Is your association doing any of this?  If not, why not, if so, are you involved in the training, instruction, mentoring process?  If you've sat in meetings and training sessions and heard wrong information given out by veterans and you didn't correct this misinformation, you are just as wrong or more wrong than the one's giving out the information.  Be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

 

As far as your belief that $65 is too much for high school, I will PM you my address and you can send all of your game fee checks to me and I'll be glad to take it off of your hands.  I don't umpire for the money either, but I'm not going to do it for free. And as far as seeing game fees increase, you haven't seen it in a long time.  We were promised an increase and then the State changed their minds.

 

You can stand by what you've said, that's fine.  But, you truly don't sound like someone wanting to actually fix the problem or improve the umpiring in your area.  You sound like someone that wants to complain and not do anything.  Get involved.

[bigorangefan8]

I coached for many years and had a lot of respect for quality umpires.  The problem begins with very few of these people to go around.  Lets keep it real, it doesn't take much to be a certified TSSAA umpire. 

[catsbackr]

I have a lot of respect for quality coaches, too.

 

Keeping it real, it doesn't take much to be a certified coach either.

 

We're beating a dead horse here.

Edited November 4, 2013 by catsbackr

[bigorangefan8]

Let me compare the two professions.  A head coach on the high school level is a teacher, and therefore has a college degree.  A high school umpire has taken a 50 question true or false test that is taken at home and mailed back to TSSAA.  I am guessing the test costs around $40. 

[glock22]

Let me compare the two professions.  A head coach on the high school level is a teacher, and therefore has a college degree.  A high school umpire has taken a 50 question true or false test that is taken at home and mailed back to TSSAA.  I am guessing the test costs around $40.

First, that is a gross over-simplification.  All head coaches are not teachers and therefore do not all have college degrees.

 

Also, umpiring at the high school level is not a profession, it is an avocation. Most high school umpires probably make less than $2,000 for a year.

 

Third, you've obviously never umpired.  It's not that easy.

 

Fourth, you can't play without umpires. 

 

And lastly, coaches are always going to complaing or be critical about umpires.

Edited November 5, 2013 by glock22

[Vol33]

First, that is a gross over-simplification.  All head coaches are not teachers and therefore do not all have college degrees.

 

Also, umpiring at the high school level is not a profession, it is an avocation. Most high school umpires probably make less than $2,000 for a year.

 

Third, you've obviously never umpired.  It's not that easy.

 

Fourth, you can't play without umpires. 

 

And lastly, coaches are always going to complaing or be critical about umpires.

 

      

  Like ksgovols I too wore every hat on a baseball field and played D1 ball.  All any coach should expect from an umpire is rule knowledge and reasonable effort, i.e. getting in the right position for the call. When coaches fail to see this there will always be problems, a missed call is more acceptable than no effort to make the right call.  Most players exhibiting this effort find their way to the bench in a hurry. 

     Good umpires could care less who wins.  Unfortunately not all umpires are good umpires nor are all coaches good coaches.  Good umps reinforce what good coaches teach and are an intergral part of early stage development.  Bad umps destroy what good coaches are trying to instill.  Each should have a mutual respect based on their parts for making the game the greatest.  

     In my county the school custodian can be the head coach as long as he/she is a school employee.  As long a we fall under TSSAA jurisdiction we will continue to get lip service.  Don't mean to sound like a detractor but I've seen too much.  It can be fixed and hat's off to the great coaches and umps who truly make a difference.     

Edited November 5, 2013 by Vol33

[bigorangefan8]

All head coaches that I know are teachers within their respective school system.  I would guess that most make less than $2000 per year as a coaching supplement.  If you factor it per hour (workouts, practice, field preparation, fundraising activities, travel time to games and the games) they would make less than minimum wage.  Now being an umpire has to be a tough job and I am glad people will do it, but it doesn't come close to being a head coach on the high school level.

[voltnh]

And i stand by what I've said, too.

 

What association are you with?  Like I said, your association needs to get a lot better real fast.

 

In our association in the Chattanooga area, we hold association meetings every Monday or Tuesday beginning the first week of January and go until the season starts.  We discuss rule changes, NFHS points of emphasis, etc.  We also have mechanics training at one of our local schools, inside and on the field, to go over positioning, rotations, responsibilities, plate mechanics, etc. at least 2 times prior to the season.

 

Is your association doing any of this?  If not, why not, if so, are you involved in the training, instruction, mentoring process?  If you've sat in meetings and training sessions and heard wrong information given out by veterans and you didn't correct this misinformation, you are just as wrong or more wrong than the one's giving out the information.  Be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

 

As far as your belief that $65 is too much for high school, I will PM you my address and you can send all of your game fee checks to me and I'll be glad to take it off of your hands.  I don't umpire for the money either, but I'm not going to do it for free. And as far as seeing game fees increase, you haven't seen it in a long time.  We were promised an increase and then the State changed their minds.

 

You can stand by what you've said, that's fine.  But, you truly don't sound like someone wanting to actually fix the problem or improve the umpiring in your area.  You sound like someone that wants to complain and not do anything.  Get involved.

 

I've been in several associations over the past several years.  I happen to be in a phase of my career that requires me to relocate rather routinely.  I'll most likely be joining a new association this year.  

 

The training has been pretty much identical in every association i've been in.  They'll have the weekly meetings and discuss a different rule or topic each week.  They'll also have two meetings for mechanics; one for 2-man and one for 3-man.  

 

Sitting in a school cafeteria and reading through the rule book is not effective training, which is what I've witnessed in all of the associations that I've been a member of.  Also, one 90 minute training session on field mechanics is nowhere near enough.  Most guys will only get one rep in these sessions.  And if you're being honest, you know that a majority of the guys there are not there to learn, they are there for the meeting credit so they can get games.

 

As another poster said, it isn't that hard to become a high school.  Pay your state and local dues, buy your gear, pass the open book test (you have 3 attempts to get score a 70/100), and go to your 5 meetings.  And I know the postseason exam score is 80...still open book.  I remember one veteran walking in to a meeting after the exam period bragging that he passed with an 82.  He got a sectional game that year and I felt like banging my head into a wall.

 

I received more comprehensive and quality training at a Little League umpire school that I received through a clinic run by the TSSAA.  I was a good umpire before I ever earned a cent from working a TSSAA game.  If you have something different going on in Chattanooga, then kudos, but it still sounds like you're reading from the book.  And that isn't how to train umpires.  It does sound like you guys do more in the way of mechanics training.

 

And yes, I've offered to help in training in every association that I've been a part of.  Most of what I end up being able to do is work with the guys that will listen before and after games.  I sat in one rule meeting where the instructor was teaching something that was blatantly contradicting the rule book.  I called him on it, as did several others.  The response we got was "well, this is how we are going to do it hear."

 

Training is not sufficient in TSSAA, period.  If you don't agree with that, then you are ignorant to what actual training is.

[catsbackr]

Thorough training is obviously left up to the discretion of each local association by the TSSAA.  That is unfortunate.  We have 1 State rules meeting in each assocation and that is pretty much all.  After that, it's up to us to decide the kind of training we will do.

 

I have told you what my association does.  I'd love to hear comments from other associations as to what they do and try some new things.  The training we do is not perfect, but it's a darn sight better than what I've heard others are doing or not doing.

 

My suggestion is that we, individually, go to other camps like the Southern Umpires Camp or the Mid America Umpires Camp, to learn and then pass on what is learned to your local association.

[Switchhitter]

     I attended a Professional Umpire school when I was 19.  The first game I ever umpired was a college game back in 1973. Played 2 years of college ball after that. Unable to umpire due to work until summer of '82. Joined TSSAA in Nashville '84 & '85 again in '89.  During this time I was also coaching youth teams and playing baseball in men's leagues in Nashville. I restarted my TSSAA career in 1999 in Murfreesboro and have continued thru the present.

   I have attending many association meetings that are required.  i have attending 3 Mid-South Umpire Association Clinics and 1 TSSAA required clinic.

   Having coached, played, and umpired over 1000 games  each, I feel very fortunate to have survived and expirenced almost every play and situation an umpire might come across in any game.  After all this time, I believe that we, umpires, are human, and we make mistakes.  We do not do it on purpose. All we can do is get in the right position, and we are in position 99% of the time! 

   I have had the pleasure of working in 3 different associations.  Every associations has good and bad umpires....Good umpires get the good games.  Partners communicate! Before and during and after the games. This is how we improve.

   I try to stay in good shape and wish that I could umpire all year.  It is very important for us be physically and mentally ready for each season.

   And no, we are not paid enough...but I am not here for the money.  The heat, the abuse from fans, the beatings we take behind the plate because of a lazy catcher or a bad hop are the obstacles we face every game.

   Game management is very important.  We make the game official.  It is our job to begin the game and make sure it ends.  In saying that, strikes and outs must be called.  Sometimes we have to work hard to find strikes and outs.  

   In finishing, everything is relevant.  Good coaches, bad coaches...good teams , bad teams, good umpires, bad umpires. We all have opinions.  On the field, when  I am umpiring, my opinion is the only one that matters.  Just know, that I know the rules,I will be in position, I will hustle, and  I will make the correct call! Whether you agree or not, well, it's just a game...

Edited November 18, 2013 by Switchhitter

[catsbackr]

Well said.

[Switchhitter]

Thank you!...Last year, I got to work the  State Tournament...saw  4 State Champions close up, the best game was Collierville and Hardin Co. in the sub-state game...

Edited November 19, 2013 by Switchhitter