Wrapping it up!

[Zippy]

As I sit here cleaning my gear and hanging up my shirts for the off season, I figured this is a great time to reflect on this past season.

I worked six tournaments and several weeknight travel games, ranging from 10U to Legion Ball. Now, that might not seem like much compared to some of you guys who have worked 200+ this year, but I feel like I gained an incredible amount of experience and knowledge from the both the umpires that I have worked with and the fine folks on this lovely website.

But thats not the only thing I gained this year. I started out the summer with a new featherweight Diamond mask, 2 Honig's shirts, and a pair of Honig's combos, but my gear collection didn't stay too small for too long. I scored a great deal on a used Platinum and some Wilson-Davis shins, bought three Officials Choice Shirts (), a few Richardson combo hats and other various accessories. Other than the TOC shirts (which did a great job for me btw) all were purchased after receiving advise on this forum. I have a few things to purchase in the winter (rolling bag, Honig's plate pants, plate shoes) and I will be all set for the spring.

Performance wise, I personally thought I did a decent job this summer. Yes, I had my days where my zone was maybe a bit inconsistent, but as a whole I thought I called every game fairly - even on the games where I umpired teams from my home town where all the parents knew me by my first name. In the field, there was a handful of times where I felt that I was in a bad position to make a call, but it was lesson learned after each occasion. By the end of the year, I had three and four man mechanics down solid.

Overall, it was a great season full of learning opportunities and good baseball. I'm looking forward to continuing to learn from my fellow umpires on this site!

[Umpire in Chief]

Good to hear. So you are done for the year?

[willv28]

Excellent! We're about to wrap 10/11BB sectionals up this week and then I will likely be done. We're doing 6-man for the final. Position assignments by random draw.

[Balk Hater]

I am sadly done as well took my shirts and pants to dry cleaners to help store until spring. I am unable to umpire summer ball because I work at a golf course and that job comes first.I think this site is fantastic. Oh I think we need to stop warning and just start booting the RATS

[mesa4234]

I wrap up on the 15th or August, and I am looking forward to a couple of weeks off. Of course I start up again September 3rd.

[Stan W.]

Congrats Zippy on a good year.....

I will wrap up the year at the end of the first week in august......I will get some fall ball starting in september, but I always figure that as "next year".......

Congrats to everyone who is wrapping up another year......

[Zippy]

Good to hear. So you are done for the year?

Yes, I am done for the year! It seems like it went very fast, but school is coming up, and I need to start focusing on moving back. I am probably done officiating any sport until wrestling season starts up.

[Umpire in Chief]

Things have turned pretty slow around here I haven't had a weekday game in a while, but get games on Sat & Sun. It's a nice little bit of relaxing for about a month when fall ball picks up. Then it will be steady until the end of October. I may get a game here and there in Nov, but will definately be done around Thanksgiving.

Looking forward to fall ball. that is when I start saving money for stuff for the next year.

[rulebook]

Around here, baseball is played all year so there is no offseason. What do you guys do in your offseason? Go through withdrawals, officiate another sport, break down game film of that banger you missed at first base, ...... ?

[Stan W.]

I am a baseball only guy..........and baseball here in w.pa runs march through early august.........and some fall ball.......w.pa is a hotbed for football, so we only see a bit of fall ball........

I have become more selective as I get older.....years ago I umpired anything done with a white ball with red stitches.....now I try and focus on doing better baseball, not just more baseball......so doing kiddie fall ball does not advance me in my current program.....

I will do some limited fall ball........try and get to a clinic..... thinking of the evans myrtle beach or the southern umpires camp....

Then start doing Lesson planning for the NFHS season.....I want to attend the NCAA clinics in Atlanta or Philly ....

I dont do a winter sport.............

[JaxRolo]

For me is almost over andI can't wait for fall-ball. I'm addicted. Only doing a game or 2 a week now.

I have been Umpiring for about a year. I've advanced rapidly through our Association this year. Started with the 8-10 year old rec ball games. Now I work mostly older kids. I have been one of the few to work Championship games at different levels - Rec Ball, Babe Ruth, AAU, Triple Crown. Most recently I have been picked to work some High School- College Showcase games. Great Experience!

[tjshanno]

Way to go Zippy. Sounds like a solid plan for gear and games. Did about 60 games for my local association and spent a week at CDP and did 14 more. Looking forward to some fall tournament ball before storing the gear.