ShotKaller

I am an experienced umpire who started officiating youth baseball/softball games about 10 years ago. About 3 years ago I was encouraged to start umpiring professionally and to try to get some work at "upper level" contests. As I begin my fourth season with two great organizations I have attended multiple umpire camps and I am constantly asked, "How good do you want to be at this?" I love stickball in all of its various forms, and baseball, as a culture, is as sacred to me as the word of God. This is the reason I choose to be the ever ridiculed "Umpire". I believe anyone who truly believes in the "For the Love of the Game" philosophy should be an umpire, for there is no truer way to honor this game than to be its Steward and ensure it is always executed in its purest form. For this reason I choose to try to make myself the best Umpire I can be. I read and study every chance I get. I have participated in one, two, and (rarely) three man crews for everything from 10 & Under fast pitch tournaments to 55 & over men's hardball games and everything in between. I have called a few D3 pre-season college games, and I am now a regular at Varsity games in my area. I was drawn to this because as a coach I was always so frustrated with how many poorly officiated games I witnessed, and how few "good" umpires I have ever come across. I decided since what I read in my rule books and what was actually happening on the field was so different I needed to stop complaining. Instead I chose to be different. I decided that rather than assume I could be a better umpire than these hacks (like most coaches), I would prove it. I have suffered many defeats during my quest to get "good". I have yelled "fair ball", I have balled a high pitch a batter swung at, I've lost the count, I've had a pitch delivered while staring at my indicator to clear it, I've called a runner safe on a force play at the plate because "he didn't tag the runner". All of these things made me better. Thicker skin, more comfortable in the slot, thinking slower, acting faster, improved timing, consistent zone, proper application of the rules. In spite of a full time day job and a few children I manage to get about 100 games a year. I maintain the best equipment I can't afford. I attend every clinic and camp I can find, and I can't ever seem to get enough cage work. I don't think I could ever umpire for a living, but I don't think I could ever truly be happy again not being behind the plate at least a couple times a week.