First Games

[UmpIowa]

So this weekend I will be working my first games. 4 games on Saturday and 2 on Sunday. 12U USSSA teams. Any advice would be appreciated.

[yawetag]

Don't suck.

Oh, and slow down.

[mstaylor]

+1 Andrew. Know any special tournament rules and, time limits.Take your time and have fun.

[Mike Prince]

Also remember that on just about any close call 1/2 the park will he happy and the other half not. So call what you see and don't take the pissed off half too seriously (or personally).

[Stan W.]

take each game one at a time.....dont let a mistake from game 1 go over into games 3-4.......learn from your mistakes, keep a game log and harshy evaluate your performance....seek out constructive advice from your partner....write down any rules issues you arent sure of so that after this 6 game weekend you can get the rule book out and study up....

good luck....

( and dont forget what mike and yaw said....)

Edited May 31, 2011 by Stan W.
usual suspects....spelling and clarity

[yawetag]

write down any rules issues you arent sure of so that after this 6 game weekend you can get the rule book out and study up....

If you have a chance, look them up BETWEEN games. That way, you go onto the field more knowledgeable than you left the previous one.

[semper_fi_72]

So this weekend I will be working my first games. 4 games on Saturday and 2 on Sunday. 12U USSSA teams. Any advice would be appreciated.

I am a little confused.

These were your very first games as a Umpire, working a USSSA tournament?

I hope you had a strong base of training by someone and a real strong partner.

I worked 8 USSSA 13U and 14U as part of our NIT this past weekend, including a 13U Championship Plate.

Without prior experience you would never get 12U games out here.

Would be interested in hearing about your games and what you experienced.

[Umpy]

The first game I ever worked we did this weird system where every full inning we'd switch out the base umpire, so the new guys (like me) only really did half the game. That was at a tournament I'm pretty sure was USSSA 12U.

I was nervous and called a guy out on what I believed was a force, despite there being only one runner and the play being a steal at 3rd. I was immediately pulled from the game and the other umpires spent the rest of the day ridiculing me. Furthermore angry parents were coming up to me and blaming me entirely for the loss. So don't make that mistake.

[JaxRolo]

The first game I ever worked we did this weird system where every full inning we'd switch out the base umpire, so the new guys (like me) only really did half the game. That was at a tournament with USSSA 12U teams.

I was nervous and called a guy out on what I believed was a force, despite there being only one runner and the play being a steal at 3rd. I was immediately pulled from the game and the other umpires spent the rest of the day ridiculing me. Furthermore angry parents were coming up to me and blaming me entirely for the loss. So don't make that mistake.

So why wasn't the call corrected? :question1:

[Umpy]

I asked them to let me fix it in the powwow before I was pulled and I was informed we were not allowed to change our calls. I think everyone thought that I thought I saw a tag, up until I realized just how dumb of a call I had made after I walked off the field.

[UmpIowa]

I don't believe that this is a tournament. However I was not given a lot of information on what I am working. The training I got was an email of the rule book/case book and took the test. Due to the shortage of umpires it sounds like they are just throwing guys out there. I have worked games 10 years ago. Obviously, I will be very rusty and back then it wasn't taken too seriously either. Did I mention I have never met my partner. Not sure if I will have the same one all day or a new one at each game. All I know is that I was assigned a field to work both days.

[TXUmp77]

Yeah U trip games are very competitive and not good games to get your feet wet. :GL:

[mstaylor]

I went to do some work on our adult wooden bat league field. We opened Tuesday night and I am a director. After we were done there was a slow pitch tournament,a national qualifier, going on on the other end. I stopped down because a good friend was the UIC. He got a guy from another assoc, never had done a slow pitch game in his life. My buddy left me to babysit him and keep him out of trouble. Interesting job, a baseball umpire teaching a baseball umpire how to do slow pitch. :confused:

[sdix00]

I don't believe that this is a tournament. However I was not given a lot of information on what I am working. The training I got was an email of the rule book/case book and took the test. Due to the shortage of umpires it sounds like they are just throwing guys out there. I have worked games 10 years ago. Obviously, I will be very rusty and back then it wasn't taken too seriously either. Did I mention I have never met my partner. Not sure if I will have the same one all day or a new one at each game. All I know is that I was assigned a field to work both days.

Probably too late now, but I recommend hooking up with a local LL and getting some games in at that level, volunteer of course. That will at least give you a chance to sharpen up.