Switch Associations? Advice, please...

[NCAAump2]

I'm in the process of contemplating changing umpiring associations, and am rather confused on what to do. The group I'm currently in is the main provider of umpires for HS baseball and softball in the St. Louis area, and they have 1 legion district for summer and 2 other summer leagues. The downside of that group is most of the schools are at least 30 minutes from my home one way, and the association has over 250 members, so it's rather watered down. They also have 7 colleges they assign for, but it seems like only certain people get those games.

The other group is based in the county I live in, services around 20 local schools for baseball and softball, has 3 legion districts, Pastime Tournaments, and 10 collegiate teams, and roughly 75 members, some of whom do not work summer baseball. This group also has many contacts with collegiate assigners and supervisors who I feel can help me in the advancement that I desire. Most of the schools in this group are less than 15 minutes from home.

My current group does not allow members to work games for competing organizations, so I've got to pick one or the other. I have worked a college game (separate assigner) with the President of the 2nd group, and he was very impressed with my mechanics and passion for the game, and has welcomed me to join his group.

I feel torn, because I have been with my current group for so long, but also I think I have a better chance to advance my career into the higher college ranks by joining the new group. My current group has promised me spring JUCO games as well as summer collegiate league games, and I was offered neither. I attended all required clinics and rules meetings, as well as got recommendations from several umpires who currently work games at that level. I feel that as the current group gets even more members, my chances decline even more.

I want to do what's best for me, my family, and my umpiring career, but it's hard to know what that is. Suggestions, ideas, anything?

[Replacematt]

A) I would encourage you to network with others in your geographical area.

B ) If your association restricts your working with others, they are in a world of legal hurt.

[Jocko]

Your loyalty is commendable, but unwarranted. Have they shown loyalty to you? did your assignor follow through on his promises to get you higher level games? No. RUN to the other guys. You'll get more and better games which will hone your skills, which will help you advance. Do what's best for YOU. It's not like you're under contract.

[JaxRolo]

I know you said the first one doesnt want you to work for the other one.

I would go ahead and do it until you get caught. What they going to do kick you out?

Most likely you are going to work for the second one anyway.

[UMP45]

No Jax. That is what is wrong with a lot of umpires today. No loyalty. GSL if it were me go with the association that will benefit you in the long run. But be upfront with the other one. Don't burn bridges. :2cents:

[renegadewolf]

I started out in Guelph 4 years ago, worked my first 2 years there, learned a lot and had some very good mentors. My wife and I split up and I found myself down the road in Kitchener and thought it might be moer convienient to call games in the town I livfe in instead of driving 15-20 minutes on the highway to call games every night. I was told they prefer us to not work in other areas, but I was flat out with them (as they were with me) because I wouldn't be getting many rep games here until they knew me here i was going to continue to call in Guelph when I couldn't get games here. I tried contacting another local association in the early spring this year and was told I would have to exclusively work for them if I wanted to work for them. I asked if I would be getting a game every day I was availible and if I would be getting high end games (for my level), to which of course I was told no. I asked him why I would possibly join his league and drop 3 others that would meet my desires of getting a game every day and higher end stuff, which pretty much ended the conversation (suffice to say I am not calling games in his association although i have gotten at least 10 emails asking me to cover some games for him because he was in a pinch (every time I was already booked with one other the now 4 associations I work with, so you know how quick I was to jump on the offers). I guess what I am rambling at here is you have to do what makes you happy. I take the first game that comes along for any given day, and when someone comes along with a better offer, that is too bad, I am already booked. One can remain loyal working for many people, and I have no problem with any of my assignors calling me up 2 hours before a game and if I am availible I will take it. My loyalty is about the promise I make first (accepting a game) not who pays me better, give me the better games although if I get an email the same day about taking a couple games I will generally take the higher quality (and usually higher paying) game first. I am sure this is of little to no real help to your descision making but all I can offer here is to go with what makes you happy. If someone else doesn't like what you are doing, that is their problem, not yours. As a good friend of mine once put it "don't worry too much about what other people think, they don't do it very often".

[JaxRolo]

No Jax. That is what is wrong with a lot of umpires today. No loyalty. GSL if it were me go with the association that will benefit you in the long run. But be upfront with the other one. Don't burn bridges.

I see what you are saying. But the first association is not being loyal to him.

We are independent contractors and should be able to work anywhere we want.

Around here there is a shortage of decent umpires. I work for 6-8 different associations in Florida and Georgia.

HS is my priority. Tournaments second. Then the rest.

They all know what I do. A couple don't like it but they keep giving me games.

[Umpire in Chief]

Loyalty is important, but look at the long run picture and who will benefit you the most.

As for being independent contractor, yes we are, but no assigners have to assign us either, so we are co-dependents.

[MidAmUmp]

One has 250+ members and the other has 70. There's a reason for that. PM if you want to discuss it further. I'm familiar with both.

[SanDiegoSteve]

B ) If your association restricts your working with others, they are in a world of legal hurt.

The SDCBUA has such restrictions in their by-laws and in the release that every umpire has to sign. You can't umpire for another group if they are in direct competition for the same leagues, such as if they do HS baseball. If SDCBUA umpires a certain type of league, you aren't allowed to work in a competing group that works that level. You can work adult baseball for somebody else, for example, since SDCBUA does not work adult ball.

[Jocko]

One has 250+ members and the other has 70. There's a reason for that. PM if you want to discuss it further. I'm familiar with both.

I missed that point thinking of other things.

[Texarkana]

Posted - One has 250+ members and the other has 70. There's a reason for that. PM if you want to discuss it further. I'm familiar with both

You better check this one out. Sometimes you go to pick a rose and get pricked by a thorn.

[Welpe]

You better check this one out. Sometimes you go to pick a rose and get pricked by a thorn.

Indeed and I went through something similar in basketball. I left the large chapter in the area and joined a local one because games were closer to my house and I was keeping a good schedule. The larger chapter, in my opinion, also has some major organizational issues and did not tend to support their newer officials. Come to find out, the local chapter is not much better in that regard and they just lost one of their two school districts that they supply officials for. In other words, I may not even get to work much this upcoming season.

[Pete Peterson Sr]

In HS ball in my state, the state prohibits an umpire from working for more than one association concurrently. You are required to register with a single association, and you can only work games for another group with permission from the assigner or president of your group. To be caught doing so without permission, can lead to trouble. An umpire I know was suspended for a year for working a middle school double header for another association without an okay. The assigner who used him was suspended for two years.

[mstaylor]

Alabama needs to stay out of the local groups business. I agree they need to assign each group an area and keep one out of the other's area. Individual umpires should be able to work where they want. We have some great umpires that work for us, the group next to us and the closest group in the next state. We tell them there is no penalty for working for other groups except it means they will get less games because our games and the other groups games are on the same days. What will get you in trouble is blowing off one of games to work for somebody else. We don't expect them to do it to the other group either.

[Jocko]

Think it over. You may wind up jumping from frying pan to fire. I re-state my 1st post. I left a small org for larger one. The small group had sh*tty contract schools and terrible partners. It's embarassing to tell people I was affiliated with them. The group I joined has the BIGTIME schools. Lots more umps, more than 2x the contracts. Looking forward to next season.

[treydawgmt]

Around here, there are no restrictions. I work for 3 organizations. I AM, however loyal, and do 90% of my work with one of the organizations. All 3 know this, and as long as you are professional with them all, and don't drop games with one organization for another, I don't see why the organization should care. They ALL may be losing quality umpires who are working with a different organization.

[spiritump]

the only thing to care about is yourself ; as you get better and better and more of the right people see your work YOU will get yourself the better games not your association. Always be professional and do the right thing, work hard , go to camps and the better games will come your way--in the long run it will not matter witch you choose--just do what is best for you and get better--the games will come