AAU Hats

[JaxRolo]

We are working AAU games this year and at a neeting we were tiold that at least one Ump needs to have an AAU Cap.

Only thing is we can't find them anywhere. Do they even exist?

[Umpire in Chief]

Wow, that must be something local, I've done too many AAU tournaments to count and have never heard of this including several national championship tournaments and this has never come up. My thought is they are probably available from the tourney director who is looking to make a little money off the umps. :rollinglaugh:

[AmackNH]

It seems there are some major changes coming to AAU baseball. As I understand it, starting this year AAU teams can continue using "whoever" for regular season games. However, for all tournaments and playoffs teams will need to use either High School or AAU board certified umpires. I also understand that the AAU goal is change this to AAU board certified ONLY within two years. I just completed their weekend course this weekend. It was run by Rob Healey. It was a friday night classroom followed by Sat/Sun on the field. He also had Matt Hansel (for minor league-current college and Atlantic league), Chris Conroy (current AAA/MLB fill-in) and Bill McCallum (former AAA-Current college) with him for the entire weekend. I believe Healey has taken over as UIC for AAU. We got Hats and Shirts as part of the clinic.

[JaxRolo]

Interesting. Around here they are lucky to get mediocre umpires let alone HS certified.

[AmackNH]

Rob Healey has evidently been put in charge of umpires for AAU. According to him, when he asked the people who run the national program who was doing their games they told him "we have no idea." What he told us was he obviously found this incredible, so he is essentially starting from scratch to come up with a program to ensure the quality of umpires. He is from the Northeast but also spends half the year in Florida so it sounds like New England and Florida are getting the training first. Sounds like they are going to have Regional assignors and supervisors. My local association had 28 guys at the clinic this weekend and were told we would all be evaluated by either him or another member of his staff at least once during the year. Its early in the game but if he can make half the stuff he is proposing happen it could be very good.

[T-Rav]

Rob Healey has evidently been put in charge of umpires for AAU. According to him, when he asked the people who run the national program who was doing their games they told him "we have no idea." What he told us was he obviously found this incredible, so he is essentially starting from scratch to come up with a program to ensure the quality of umpires. He is from the Northeast but also spends half the year in Florida so it sounds like New England and Florida are getting the training first. Sounds like they are going to have Regional assignors and supervisors. My local association had 28 guys at the clinic this weekend and were told we would all be evaluated by either him or another member of his staff at least once during the year. Its early in the game but if he can make half the stuff he is proposing happen it could be very good.

Does he have a website? How did you find out about these clinics?

[JaxRolo]

I'd like to also know more about this.

I know the association that works AAU tournaments here and they are just guys that are doing it for the money. They do not have one single clinic a year. They haven't had a single clinic or rules session for 3 years when I was there and was trying to get things going but the uic said that the best training they could get was just working games.

[AmackNH]

I have an email out to rob. He was pretty straight forward with us as far as knowing he was moving uphill. I will update when he replies.

[bam]

In eastern CT the local HS association umpires their games. If AAU is going to require a weekend (plus costs), threy're going to be looking for a LOT of new umpires around here.

[AmackNH]

In eastern CT the local HS association umpires their games. If AAU is going to require a weekend (plus costs), threy're going to be looking for a LOT of new umpires around here.

As I said, as described to us, for the next two years that will be fine. My understanding is that for High School board guys they may offer a 1 day just to get up to speed on AAU specific items. Also, AAU is moving from FED to OBR. Like I said...It look likes alot of changes and alot more structure are coming. Have to wait and see.

[UMP45]

In eastern CT the local HS association umpires their games. If AAU is going to require a weekend (plus costs), threy're going to be looking for a LOT of new umpires around here.

So some additional training is to much to ask for?

[mstaylor]

Well if they are changing from Fed to OBR, then getting rid of HS only umpires makes sense. Hopefully they will do like Pony and adopt OBR and write a separate rulebook for AAU specific rules. It is so much cleaner and allows you to use existing interp manuals

[cyclonehokiece]

Well if they are changing from Fed to OBR, then getting rid of HS only umpires makes sense. Hopefully they will do like Pony and adopt OBR and write a separate rulebook for AAU specific rules. It is so much cleaner and allows you to use existing interp manuals

This just tells me AAU is trying to get in line with the UTrips and Nations of the world of travel ball.

[ScubaUmp]

FLORIDA CLINIC Based loaded Umpiring will be hosting a clininc Nov 30th - Dec 2nd. Follow the link for registration and Rob Healey contact info http://www.blueump.com/p/about-blue.html

[BalkHawk]

It seems there are some major changes coming to AAU baseball. As I understand it, starting this year AAU teams can continue using "whoever" for regular season games. However, for all tournaments and playoffs teams will need to use either High School or AAU board certified umpires. I also understand that the AAU goal is change this to AAU board certified ONLY within two years. I just completed their weekend course this weekend. It was run by Rob Healey. It was a friday night classroom followed by Sat/Sun on the field. He also had Matt Hansel (for minor league-current college and Atlantic league), Chris Conroy (current AAA/MLB fill-in) and Bill McCallum (former AAA-Current college) with him for the entire weekend. I believe Healey has taken over as UIC for AAU. We got Hats and Shirts as part of the clinic.

Matt Hensel.

[BalkHawk]

Here you go:

 

[Jocko]

I saw those at the gas station between the purple Mets and Obama '16