Hello for southeastern Pennsylvania

[cbiesecker]

Hello all,

This will be my first year as an umpire. I've been reading the various posts for the last month or so, and this site has provided me with a wealth of information on what to do and what not to do as an umpire.

My plan is to start out by working with my local Cal Ripken / Babe Ruth league and I intend to reach out to my local association as well.

I must say that the discussions on equipment have been very helpful. I will heed all the advice and purchase the right gear from day one. I figure I can't go wrong with a WV Gold or Platinum CP, and a matching set of shin guards too.

I look forward to reading the many lively discussions on Umpire-Empire as the season begins to heat up.

Thanks,

Chris Biesecker

[JaxRolo]

Welcome! You are off to a great start!

(null)

[mstaylor]

Welcome to the board. Ask any questions about subjects you have read about here or unusual things you have observed locally. What pocessed you to plunge into officiating.

[cbiesecker]

I've been involved with my local youth league for the past few years. Doing things like taking care of the score book, field maintenance, I even did a stint as an assistant coach one season. I noticed that I always see the same 5 or 6 umpires working the fields on the weekends. So I reached out to the UIC to see if he would be interested in having someone else help out behind the plate.

I love to learn, and from what I've seen so far, learning the rules and interpretations of baseball is a life long pursuit. I'm also level headed and I rarely lose my cool. So getting involved as an umpire seemed like the logical thing to do. Besides, the gear is cool and its a good way for me to get outside and stay active. I'm really excited to begin training this spring. So far I've been reading as much as I can. The OBR, Jaksa/Roder Manual, the Evans 2-man system, and anything else I can get my hands on.

Spring can't get here soon enough for me.

[mstaylor]

Yes, learning the rules and how to apply them is a lifelong endeaver, I've been at it for 36 yrs. By the way, you will find out the gear is far from cool. :)

[umpire78]

Hi Chris. You WILL find a wealth of knowledge here. I'm sure I speak for everyone that we hope OUR experiences can help you NOT make the mistakes we did as rookie umps.

Umpiring is not for everyone. You have to have the right frame of mind, ability to learn and improve, and pretty much a "thick skin."

What I have learned over 32 years are what I will NOT tolerate in any game I umpire:

1. Swearing/cursing that the crowd can hear.

2. Absolutely NO physical contact from a player, manager or coach, no matter how slight it is.

3. Do not threaten me.

4. ANY personal attacks (usually start with the word 'you').

Any of those warrant an IMMEDIATE ejection. And, do NOT resume the game until they have left the area (sight & sound).

Chris - I hope you enjoy umpiring. I found it to be a great experience for me.