Amazing 3 weeks

[Umpirechick1]

Happy to say that my 3 weeks at Cooperstown Dreams Park were all that I'd hoped it would be... and more.

Each week, I was a crew chief for my field and each week I had a great crew that enjoyed calling the games and had fun together.  Field 6, Field 1, Field 7.

There were a lot of laughs, rain, late night games that went well past midnight, and crazy shenanigans going on that made for some good memories.  I got to carry in a flag in week 1, the CDP banner in week 2, work an elite 8 game in week 1, and a semi final game in weeks 2 and 3 - all behind the dish.

I was actually assigned the plate in the championship game week 3, but my team made it past the elite 8, and then into the final four, and I had a decision to make.  I gambled, and it didn't work out in my favor, but I had an amazing semi final game on field 10 (couldn't work field 7 because my team was the #1 seed).  I hated that my team lost by 3 runs and didn't make it to the final game, but then they were telling me that they felt bad for me because I gave up the chance to work the dish on the champ. game.  I just kept telling them that I'd rather see them play in it than me work it... I'll get another chance, they won't.

In week 2, we had a 3 man crew on our last game Wednesday night (elimination round), and the losing coach ended up buying dinner for our crew at Maskots across the street.  He kept telling us what an amazing job we did, and in my opinion, that's the ultimate compliment.

I also got to meet a lot of other umpires from UE.  @JaxRolo, @Mick, @GAS1124, @ZebraStripes, (well, already know you, but saw you and worked with you), @MadMax, @Matt Hoey, @dzperson, @ronkraley, ‌@shannonrcc and I know there are a few others, but my mind is a blank right now.  

Good times for sure!!

[JaxRolo]

Outstanding.

[smckin]

I will be going next week my first trip up there Cant Wait.. Congrats UmpireChick1

[ZebraStripes]

And then you come back and have to work with me again...poor @Umpirechick1.

 

Everything go ok with your son getting moved?

[Umpirechick1]

Yupp - sure did.  Thanks

[SJUMBA93]

Janet, week three, field eight, was a lot of fun for this "rookie". I am looking to work more weeks next year.

It was a pleasure to meet you.

 

[Umpire #62]

Hey Janet It is me Luis Alvarado hope everything is ok and great with you, as you said this experience in Cooperstown is unique like i told you when we worked the Elite 8 game remember? In my 26 years doing this as my primary job, i worked with 2 females umpires, and you did an excellent job at the plate remember plate i do not call it dish ja ja ja remember, but it was a great an awesome experience for me, and this teach you a life lesson that not everything is about money or getting paid every time you work no, it is about you giving your time and experience to this tournaments that helps a lot the kids paying it and you meet and work with great and awesome people, spectacular ground crew staff and administrative staff too.

Like i said it was an honor to work with you and our crew that Elite 8 game in week 1, another term was "the rabbit" remember, those are words and terms i will never forget i wish and hope we can work together again next year because right now i am in Colombia i already did the tryout for the Professional League here and now i'm in vacations, wishing the best to you take care and  let's keep in touch!!!

[JaxRolo]

Janet, Why is your shirt different than the rest???

[ZebraStripes]

look at some of the weekly pictures and you will see all sorts of different looking colors for CDP shirts

[MadMax]

This will sound repetitive to what @Umpirechick1 recounted above, but in my three weeks, I:

• Was assigned to a Senior Crew Chief's crew for Week 3, Field 9, and worked like a maniac. I made so many strike, out and safe calls, my voice nearly went. I had to ingest raw honey and drink a tea concoction hourly to try and revive it (it worked). Impending rain threatened this week's schedule, and at one point, we ran the Sweet Sixteen games immediately after the final Elimination Day games on Wednesday, so I did back-to-back plates (PU) of highly seeded teams on Field 9 (mine) and then Field 7 (Umpirechick1's), followed by a 8:30am Elite 8 PU assignment the following morning on Field 10.

• Was assigned to the same Senior Crew Chief's crew for Week 4, Field 6, and with the SCC working with @Matt Hoey alot, I found myself scheduled with two first-timers. This was The Dreamcrushers' week, but it was significantly hamstrung and thwarted by rain. Five... Straight... Days... of rain. The four fields "Across the Tracks" at "The Depot" were nearly underwater, and our own field, #6, had standing water in Right Field. Teams were only assessed as having played 2 (of 6) pool-play games completed, and it made seeding a nightmare. We pressed through with a playoffs, and I worked 4 of the 5 Wednesday Elimination Day games, and then got a Semi-Final Rabbit (U2) assignment. The importance of working fast (as a PU firstly, and as a crew) was fully exhibited, because teams might have had 4 games assessed instead of 2, because had we not had to abandon several games in progress (and actually completed them), the outcries may have been lessened.

• Was designated a Crew Chief for Week 5, and given a 4-man crew on Field 5. To my great surprise, the 70-something grandfather new to CDP turned out to be one of the most technically-sound, reliable, dependable, gracious-yet-direct umpires I have ever worked with, while the returning CDP veteran gave made game-calling a strain and set our field behind schedule each time he worked as PU... Which he frequently requested. With impending rain (yet again!) and a severely adjusted schedule, we got all the games in, with rain only seriously affecting one... The Championship, in which I was the plate umpire. We ran it immediately after the semi-final games, yet in the 2nd inning, it started to pour. It ended after 4 innings 13-1.

[ZebraStripes]

congrats on the championship plate

One of these years I may be able to do more than one week, but likely when my kids are older.

Field 6 definitely floods in right field and center to a lesser degree.

[Umpirechick1]

@Umpire #62 Luis, that was a great game to work.  Glad things are going well for you and yes, I hope to see you there again next year.

@JaxRolo, while I would like to say it was made different so I'd stand out, a different shirt isn't necessary for that to happen.  It was a new shirt straight out of the package.  @ZebraStripes is right - if you look at the CDP shirts, you'll see many variations of blue - some even looked purple.

@MadMax, nice work.  And I'm glad we didn't have that much rain!

[JaxRolo]

 

@JaxRolo, while I would like to say it was made different so I'd stand out, a different shirt isn't necessary for that to happen.  It was a new shirt straight out of the package.

 

I thought maybe the women got better shirts than the guys! lol

[Umpirechick1]

Haha - I'll go with that explanation.