My Student passed!

[Stan W.]

For a number of years, I have been an umpire trainer and rules interpreter for my local chapter. We have run a NFHS class to prepare students to take the NFHS exam....

We run for 2 hours every sunday night at a local gym for 6 weeks....an hour or so of classroom and the remaining time in the gym on mechanics, plate work....

This year we had a very small class and I had a student that was very eager to pass the exam. He had been umpiring in the youth leagues for a number of years with moderate success . He has a learning disablity...Nothing impaired mentally, just an issue of how he learns and a large dose of testing anxiety..

He never missed a class, was never lazy or distracted, asked wayyyyyyy more questions than I ever thought possible....he has a passion for umpiring and almost kid like...his question being answered..... his next one was why?...

On sunday night he would attend class, on weds night he would call me to go over the lesson.....we used a 2007 NFHS test as a mid-class check to see how they were doing.....he called me one night and said he had a question and could I help him.......turned out he had 100 questions.........most of them why?

On Tuesday night I was preparing to do my rules presentation for the NFHS chapter and who is sitting in the front row, but my student who has PASSED his exam wearing his BRAND NEW HS jacket.....

Im not sure of how many HS games he will do, he has a job at the local hospital that doesnt get him available until 5 or so....But earning the patch was his goal....and he did it...

I heard after the meeting that he had attempted to pass the exam 8 times prior to taking our class.....Im pretty proud of him today......

[Jeff C.]

Outstanding! Give him congrats.

[catoblue]

I'd say that congrats are deserved by both the student and the instructor!!! Good work Stan!

[DirtyDawg]

Awesome!

[Stan W.]

I'd say that congrats are deserved by both the student and the instructor!!! Good work Stan!

Funny you should say it.......and I appreciate it very much.........I have put a lot of candidates through the class and I have always been proud that they passed.....

Its been easy to teach the gifted

Its been easy to teach the experienced

Its been rewarding to teach the challenged..

But now with this young man passing the exam.......I feel like I can rightfully call my self an Umpire Instructor....

Edited April 15, 2010 by Stan W.

[BrianC14]

Funny you should say it.......and I appreciate it very much.........I have put a lot of candidates through the class and I have always been proud that they passed.....

Its been easy to teach the gifted

Its been easy to teach the experienced

Its been rewarding to teach the challenged..

But now with this young man passing the exam.......I feel like I can rightfully call my self an Umpire Instructor....

You're a class act, StanW. Your devotion to the art of umpiring and giving back to the sport is unquestionable.

Nice work.

B)

[Umpire in Chief]

Awesome for both you and him. I'll work with a guy regardless of experience who is eager and has a passion for umpiring any day.

The most unfortunate thing about this story is him asking the 'why' question in regard to FED rules, this is where you had to prove your instructing ability.

[kcfan102]

Wow, thats...

a really really good story Stan.

To him, and you, congratz! :rollinglaugh:

[Paperipper17]

Congratulations to you both, that's definitely something to be proud of.

:rollinglaugh:

[yawetag]

The most unfortunate thing about this story is him asking the 'why' question in regard to FED rules, this is where you had to prove your instructing ability.

I'd say it's easier to tell a kid why the sky is blue. :rollinglaugh:

[kcfan102]

I'd say it's easier to tell a kid why the sky is blue.

That may be confusing, but the question of "Why isn't the sky blue at night too?" might blow his or her mind.

[catoblue]

"Why?" with regard to FED rules is an easy one... "Son, there is no logic or sound reasoning behind many of the FED rules. So my best answer to you is: just because."

[mstaylor]

I hate to be the defender of Fed but most of their rules do have a logic, a couple just don't have a good logic.