New Umpires

[JaxRolo]

I was asked to go evaluate and help out 4 new umpires today. It was 2 games. Just scrimmage games no big deal. Coaches knew it was new Umps.

It was a lot of fun. It was my first time teaching new guys in a situation like this.

One of the situations that happened was that there was an Infield Fly possibility and I had to remind them about it and to signal each other about it. Of course the infield fly did happen and of course F5 dropped the ball. R2 starts running to 3rd. Pu called the IFF but wasnt vocal and nobody heard him. The tag was made on R2 at 3rd but neither Ump called him out. PU looked at me with his eyes wide open. Play was relaxed so i told him to call time. We got everything straightened out.

I was actually glad it all happened because it was a good learning opportunity. Better for it to happen during that game than a real game.

[semper_fi_72]

It is great that they are actually sending you or anyone out to help the new guys.

I just wonder if it wouldn't be more effective to pair them up with experience mentors to actually work games with them?

Then it is not necessary for someone from the outside to correct a error on the field.

I also think it would be a better training and educational experience for the new guys.

[spiritumpa]

it would be nice if more people would try there hand at umpiring--most people think they can do until they try to do it and discover it is not as easy as they think.

[JaxRolo]

It was kinda funny because all 4 were very confident before the game. 2 of them being coaches and 1 having played college ball.

Once they got in there and took their turns behind the bases and the plate they were humbled and saying how different it was actually being out there.

[mstaylor]

The phrase I keep hearing old players or coaches is that they didn't realize how much we had to know to umpire.

It is good they are gettng you to help new guys, it is a lot of fun. I enjoy teaching as much or more than umpiring.

[Stan W.]

It is good they are gettng you to help new guys, it is a lot of fun. I enjoy teaching as much or more than umpiring.

Im with you mike,,,,,,,,,,,as I get older Im more convinced that its my job to make the next generation of umpires better.......teaching gives me the opportunity to pass on the avocation easier than the way it was when we came up...

Edited September 19, 2010 by Stan W.
usual suspects...spelling and clarity

[boyinr]

It is great that they are actually sending you or anyone out to help the new guys.

I just wonder if it wouldn't be more effective to pair them up with experience mentors to actually work games with them?

Then it is not necessary for someone from the outside to correct a error on the field.

I also think it would be a better training and educational experience for the new guys.

I disagree. I think having a mentor/trainer/evaluator outside and not involved in the action is much better. More so since it is Fall ball. You can work with two new umps at a time and see how they do on thier own. It is much easier to notice and be aware of learning moments when you are not as focused on your own calls. We I look back on my first few seasons it was always much harder when I was paired up with another newbie. I would have loved to have had the opportunity that Jaxrolo guys had. They were also doing something similar at the PBUC evaluation camp in Vero Beach last spring.

[jjb]

We'll take our first-year umpires, and do what we call a Training Game the first time he goes out. He'll be paired with an experienced Umpire, but one of our Training Staff will also show up in uniform. The Trainer will go out on the dish while the rookie watches from behind the fence. (His partner takes the bases). In between batters and innings, the Trainer will talk to the rookie, and give him tips on positioning, rules, etc. Then, after an inning or so, the rookie will take the dish, and the Trainer will kibbitz from behind the fence. Then his partner will work the dish, the Trainer will take the bases, we'll work with him out there.

This way, we can show him how it's done, and let him show us that he knows how to do it. We'll do an eval on him in a couple weeks and check on him. It seems to work for us.

[mstaylor]

This is how we work our entire preseason. We schedule three to five guys to a game, at least one trainer to watch and to take the bases while the other guy is changing his gear.

[Ros@]

Here it's done in a combination.

The new guy will be placed first in the outfield. While all the other umpires are older (or experienced) once. Then they will be placed at bases for a game or two after which they will be placed at home. There will always be 1 or 2 trainer looking the game. The ones on the field will talk to you inbetween the innings and after the game everybody heads-up to the changing room and will analyze the game. When your tainer believes your fitt for it, you will get your first game behind the plate. And within short.... you will be calling solo games.

[jjb]

It's a (fairly) inexpensive method of teaching mechanics, game management, and rules to rookie umpires. Classroom and Field Training is essential, but you really don't know what you've got, unless you see them in actual Game Conditions. We've been doing this for a few years, now, and we can really see the difference in our first-year crews.

[LMSANS]

Here is how not to do it...

Our cadets attend classroom training on the rules and a 1 day clinic on mechanics. Games are assigned and if the cadet is lucky he has a partner who:

1. cares
   
2. knows the right way
   
3. willing to give feedback
   

Most times that is not the case. When I was a cadet 6 years ago, my first 3 games I worked solo. This is not uncommon. Most non-HS ball all you need is a navy shirt, heather slacks and to know the person assigning.

:censored:

[mstaylor]

Here is how not to do it...

Our cadets attend classroom training on the rules and a 1 day clinic on mechanics. Games are assigned and if the cadet is lucky he has a partner who:

1. cares
   
2. knows the right way
   
3. willing to give feedback
   

Most times that is not the case. When I was a cadet 6 years ago, my first 3 games I worked solo. This is not uncommon. Most non-HS ball all you need is a navy shirt, heather slacks and to know the person assigning.

Sounds like the softball group in our area. When I joined the HS baseball group I expected to work a bunch of JV games solo. Luckily the year I joined we passed a rule that we would no longer assign solo games. There is no way that a new guy is going to learn anything working solo. Our interpreter had just gone to pro school and really started serious training. I am now the interpreter and he is the assignor.

[DirtyDawg]

I will admit it, I was just thrown to the wolves right away. First game was a tournament game at 16 after I had just come out of the league I was umpiring for.

[JaxRolo]

Sounds like in some areas there is a need for not only for quality umpires but just any umpire. To be thrown into a game without experience or help is crazy!

Around here there are at least 4 different umpires associations with 2 of them with over 100 umpires and the other 2 following close. There is bad blood between associations so if an assignor finds out that you also free-lance and do other work they get pi$$ed and not give you any games.

Edited September 21, 2010 by JaxRolo

[DirtyDawg]

That really sucks for the umpires. They join the association to get games, and when they go against the association in any way, there typically goes their games. That is the one thing I like about this area. We are told that we can go find our own games, too, but to inform the assignor when we do that way we don't have any doubled booked dates.

[jjb]

We have Umpires who work in 2-3 other Leagues: we think that's just fine with us. We have great relationships with the other Leagues, and sometimes we'll call each other if we get jammed up. It's also good because I've gotten applications from Umpires who'd just gotten thrown out of the league next door: a simple phone call, and it's saved me some headaches.

Now, on the other hand, we've had guys who (at the last minute), give back a DH in our League, because another League offers them three: we consider that bad form, and the result is generally, as the song goes, "When the Phone Don't Ring, You'll know it's Me"..

[grayhawk]

My first experience umping was during my son's fall ball game at the AA level (Little League). I had been helping out in practices and when I got there for the game one day, the coach asked me if I would umpire. So there I am behind the dish with no cup and the league's mask, CP and shin guards. I don't remember much about the game, but I probably sucked.

2 years later, I am now the UIC of the league and I appreciate all the recommendations on a mentoring program in this thread. It's something our league hasn't done, but I would like to start it up in the spring, especially for AA umpires.

I will be running clinics - mechanics and rules - and would like to ensure that everyone who umpires is required to be at both a mechanics and rules clininc. Good theory, but harder to implement with all volunteer umpires. Wish me luck!

[kylejt]

You need to start a Junior umpire program, and get your kids working those minor games. Heck, I've worked it out so the Juniors have taken it over, even the UIC job. So now I'm just a consultant/umpire. It's worked out quite well.

Kyle

p.s. We're all pulling for Judy.

[JaxRolo]

One of the parks we picked up for the Fall has Teenagers as Base Umpires. Hope to be a good mentor to these kids.

[grayhawk]

You need to start a Junior umpire program, and get your kids working those minor games. Heck, I've worked it out so the Juniors have taken it over, even the UIC job. So now I'm just a consultant/umpire. It's worked out quite well.

Kyle

p.s. We're all pulling for Judy.

We don't have a problem getting volunteers - I just want them to have some clue as to what they are doing.

Agreed on Judy. Nice lady.