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Attraction & Retention of Umpires


Mad Mike
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I recently read about a guy in Michigan that runs spots on a sports radio show in early Spring to try and attract prospective umpires to come out. Apparently, he runs little spots called "Stump The Ump" that fields questions from sports fans as a way to gin up interest. 

What other things do you guys do to boost your numbers of umpires?

And more importantly, after you have them in the door, how do you keep them around from season to season?

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@Mad Mike we have a pretty strong JR umpire program that we use as a feeder.  HS kids see the fun we have and want to earn a little change on the side.  I even have 1 high school age umpire that has already laid out plans to attend a pro school after graduating from college.

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The pay has to make it worth their time to begin with.  Pay isn't as big a deal to veterans, but to a rookie, it is probably what gets them in the door.  Most people get into officiating to make a little extra money while being involved with a game they love...so the money has to be decent.  Additionally, you have to train and support them.  They need to know what they are doing so that they don't get run off.  It takes confidence to do what we do...and that comes from KNOWING that you KNOW you made the right call.  Knowing comes from training...so training is vital.  Then when they do mess up (and that's gonna happen), you have to support them and train them through the mistake.  If you hang them out to dry, they'll be gone.  Finally, you have to feed them with a lot of games that fit their ability (including partners who keep them straight), and then throw them a few carrots that push their ability.  If they are working 10U...pop them in a 12U game.  If they are mostly JV, throw them a V that they can handle.  

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Agree. Need to train the Jr umpires and give them games to their level to start with.  Dangle the carrot and have them work towards the next level.  Keep the training process going and always support them and show them support when they do mess up.  Coaches need to understand that we are trying to do a good job 99.99% of the time, but that .01% often has external circumstances involved with the call. 

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Around here, the games that are the most suitable for a rookie umpire are the U9-12 (for teen umpires) or the 45+ or 55+ adult games (for adult rookie umpires). Unfortunately, these have been the games where the umpire abuse is typically the greatest. We have a hard time finding enough umpires the way it is. In a few years when the summer and spring HS seasons are merged, the situation will be even worse. The quality of umpiring will suffer and parents and coaches will feel it is their duty to run their mouths even more.

Edited by Matthew Turner
clarity, coffee just kicking in
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The Little League, INC. league that I coached in hired the football coaching staff of a rival town's team.  These guys were a bunch of badasses/hardasses who still worked out and looked like they could kick some serious ass.  That helped deter the coaches and the dads from running their mouths.  There were a few mothers who liked to pop off but these guys would engage them with a death stare and stop the games.  I don't think they were very good at umpiring but they liked each other, worked as umpiring teams and had great game management skills.  

As far as rookie guys, all of the above comments are great.  The gear and uniform expense is a huge hurdle for many new/young umpires.  Not very many want to share gear and I don't blame them.  Maybe a gear loan and keep if you work a certain number of games deal would help?

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It would certainly be nice to receive constructive feedback.

Young guys get nothing but complaints from coaches, players and fans. It's very rare that you'll have a compliment or a "nice zone today, blue." Veteran guys have to make an effort to compliment young guys on what they do well, and tactfully tell them ways to improve.

When I first started doing HS I worked with some well meaning guys that gave terrible advice, and guys that gave good advice, but were dicks about it. it would have been nice if the guys that actually knew what they were talking about would have been a more constructive - I was hesitant to take their advice because of the way it was offered and I tended to get defensive.

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This is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects to the survival of an umpire association.

  • Train them.  Provide clinics whenever possible. Conduct meaningful training during association meetings.
  • Try to assign a qualified mentor. When I first started I received a lot of conflicting advice/guidance and it got frustrating as I was trying to get better and improve.  Over time I was able to sort out who was worth listening to and who wasn't.
  • If possible, provide a qualified evaluator who is not working the game to provide feedback.
  • Move them up as they improve.  Some organizations "hoard" the good games for "veterans"  and the new guys keep working the small field with nothing but Daddy coaches.  That will get old VERY quickly and become dis-heartening.
  • Try to keep your better leagues under contract.  Nothing worse for an association to lose a competitive league due to incompetence.
  • Keep the pay fair.

My 0.02

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We have a pretty big association, it's around 250 guys. I couldn't tell you how many partners I've had (or met guys dressing out at tournaments),  young men in their 20s, who tell me they have work for UIC for 10+ years. I couldn't tell you what his secret is, but the loyalty respect and dedication he's shown by most of the guys in our association is amazing, and it's reciprocated. There are even more from other states and associations that would drop a lot to come and help UIC out when we need it. 

I could write a book on here about my first two years of training, most of which I didn't realize was going on until long after. I see a lot of it in what I see in the the first years, even the guys who've only been with us a month. I can see which ones I'll work with (and be better) next year and which ones won't take (or be given) another game. 

We don't have a formal training/mentor program. We don't have formal evaluations (except the HS guys by the state). We don't have an equipment program. We do have rules meetings for a few months, but they aren't required. I'm sure these things exist, but they aren't formal or well known. We do have a rating system, but again, we don't have a formal system to move up, UIC handles all that personally. 

Like I said, I don't know what his secret is but I'm sure he be willing to have a conversation with you about his retention. I know he's helped several guys set up their own umpiring associations in other areas. 

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