A day in the life of a High School UMPIRE.

[exfire21]

plus games only last 2-3 hours which means they are getting paid between 15-25 dollars an hour to do something they love... doesnt sound bad to me!!!

[davidlimbaugh]

wow, $55.00. Don't forget fees for clinics. Don't forget having to purchase shirts, pants, shoes, indicators, shin guards, masks, chest protectors and etc...

 

Don't forget gas to get there and back. Don't forget the time missed from

the VOCATION and their family.

 

Don't look at it as $55.00 for 2 hours of work. Look at it as $55.00 for

providing an abitrator and field leader so that kids can enjoy playing

a game. And look around. There is not a rush of folks knocking down

doors to get to that great $27.50 an hour job....

[rowdytn]

You signed up to do it. Nobody makes you go. When I volunteer to do something, I do it well regardless of circumstances. Make the calls, and make them correctly. It's nobody's fault but your own that you are on that field with that responsibility. It's exactly that, a responsibility that you have to the coaches, players, and parents who care about what transpires on that field. Excuses are for people who cant do it right. Stop whining!

[ReadytoRumble]

If you love the game of baseball, want one of the best seats in stadium, and want to make some money doing it without having to put up all the ________? Get a job as the Public Address Announcer!

 

I know...it doesn't pay a thing at the high school level. Believe me...I left the job at an SEC school (that did pay $$$!) to be able to watch my son play high school ball. I'm in the box at the high school, and enjoy doing it. Who knows...when my son graduates next year...might even try to get my old job back.

 

I was an ASA umpire for about 15 years, and was the chief umpire in our association. If you're going to be an umpire and want to stay out of the dog house, here are a few pointers:

 

1. KNOW THE RULEBOOK. If you don't make at least a 95% on the test, keep studying so you don't embarrass yourself.

 

2. BE IN THE PROPER POSITON TO MAKE THE CALL...AND HUSTLE TO GET THERE! You're asking for abuse if you're not where you are susposed to be.

 

3. ON A CLOSE PLAY...POINT AT THE BALL BEFORE YOU MAKE A CALL! Saves embarrassment when you call someone out and the ball is laying on the ground!

 

4. WHATEVER YOU CALL...CALL IT WITH AUTHORITY!

 

5. IF YOU DO HAPPEN TO GET BLOCKED OR GET A BAD ANGLE ON A PLAY...DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK YOUR PARTNER FOR HELP! (example: a swipe tag at first...no way you can see it from inside infield position) Getting it right on the field is more important than your ego.

 

6. YOU'VE DONE YOUR JOB WELL WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE THE PARK TALKING ABOUT THE GAME AND THE PLAYERS....not you.

[LCborn]

No doubt, the umps have a tough job.

 

ReadytoRumble made a great post. Particularly on point 3. I've watched my kids play Little League, competitive, and high school ball for 13 years. You know what? I've only seen an umpire ask for help from his partner, without being asked by a coach or player, once in that whole time. (It was in a travelling team tournament in Atlanta, BTW, and not in a high school game.)

 

The only thing I'd add to that post is point 7: you aren't a player anymore and you aren't a coach, so leave your ego in the car when you dress.

 

One point: since the umps are the only professionals on the field and the players are all amateurs, isn't it fair to expect the blues to be better than the kids?

[ReadytoRumble]

ABSOLUTELY!

[wad]

Believe me NO ONE IS WHINING, I've umpired for 20 years. Little league, then high school, now collage. Lets be honest and say, you know the rule book (cover to cover), your in the right position, you make the right call (with authority) it's bang bang, but you get it right. 50% of the people will think you missed it. Thats OK but when they get that WWF mentality, follow you to your car or harass you for the next 3 innings that is unacceptable. And all this because you got the call right. some fans are not interested in whats right, just what will help their team. And for the folks who think you get paid to watch a ball game. If your watching the whole ballgame while your umpiring your NOT doing your job. as for the 55 dollars a game. This year $200 for camp, $300 for travel and lodging at camp. $100 for food at camp. $500 for equipment and clothes. You do the math, it takes 20 games to break even. Not to count gas to and from games. So it is not about the money. It's ALL about the love of the game and for the kids. NOT THE PARENTS. The post was meant to give a little insight to high school umpiring. AND Gerry about that bridge, Please build one so you can cross back over to the REAL WORLD. Nothing beats High School Baseball. I am proud to be a part of it. I would do it for free. Matter of fact I am. How about some of you baseball experts joining me. TSSAA needs good UMPIRES>

Edited April 19, 2004 by wad

[sportsradiotn]

Wad,

 

You're right it is expensive and time consuming to be an umpire at the high school and college level. The expenses are understood before you decide to become an umpire.

I manage at the 16-19 year old level in the summer and have seen umpires that are good, ones you can put up with and some that are absolutely horrible. Loving the game is one thing, knowing how to relate the rules to the game is another.

I work hard at preparing my team, I expect the players to work hard preparing for games and I expect the same hard work from an umpire. Most give you what you expect, but there are a few that test your temperment.

As a manager or coach, you have to try and block out the calls and concentrate on the players and the flow of the game. Most of the time you can do that, but the bad umpires make it very difficult to stay with that philosophy.

Before you say that I should try umpiring, I have and do from time to time. I don't umpire on a regular basis because of time constraints from managing and coaching. I have discussed the rules of the game with umpires & umpire supervisors...many know the rules by heart, but you would be suprised by the amount of those that do not.

My advice to anyone involved in the game - be it an umpire, coach, player, scorekeeper or fan - read the rulebook. After you've read it, read it again and again and again.

[utcgolf]

I'm sure there is a baseball coach out there who would be THRILLED to be paid $55 a game.

[davidlimbaugh]

My advice to anyone involved in the game - be it an umpire, coach, player, scorekeeper or fan - read the rulebook. After you've read it, read it again and again and again.

 

Again, one of the problems with baseball, umpires and fans. There is no single rulebook. The rules the Atlanta Braves are playing under on TV are not the same ones the high school kids are playing under.....

[geeker]

The funny part about this is that coaches and fans get on here and tell the umps to know the rules and read the rulebook( which i agree with ), but the same ones who are yellling about wanting the umps to know the rules have probably never cracked open a rule book to study it. These people sit at home and watch MLB all the time and then when the come to watch little Billy play high school ball the yell about what they say in the Yankees Red Sox game and chances are the rule they are yelling about does not apply to high school. So for all the people who yell at umps you need to know what you are yelling about before you yell it. Get a clue.

 

And for all the people who say that umpiring is easy money and that the umps should have no problem getting all the calls right then all I can say is come join us on the field if you have the ability to get them all right. I am not saying that umps can miss a ton of calls, but they are gonna miss one or two or even three. And if anybody says that they have called a game and never missed a called and had a perfect game, then you need to put away the gear because you have accomplished something that cannot be done again and if you think that you have had that perfect game then you need to think again because i promise that you have not.

[wad]

 

Again, one of the problems with baseball, umpires and fans. There is no single rulebook.  The rules the Atlanta Braves are playing under on TV are not the same ones the high school kids are playing under.....

Great post Dave. most don't know rules change from year to year. How about this one. Batter steps out of the box without time being granted. The pitcher throws the ball over the back stop. By RULE this pitch is a STRIKE. How many moms and dads and some coaches will accept this without losing their minds. But remember this is a rule. Knowing the rules is very important. But sometimes you have to add in a lot of common sense.

Edited April 19, 2004 by wad