For LL Umps...

[catoblue]

Here's an awesome publication to review:

http://www.fcll.org/Umpires/2008_Umpire_School_Rules_Manual.pdf

[mstaylor]

An excellent manual for any LL umpire. It used to be a national secret and only available to the instructors at each region. LL woukd leave us with "The Right Call" which was rarely updated. The RIM is updated yearly and is now available to the masses.

Years ago, before I was aware of the RIM, I tried writing one like it. The problem was life got in the way and I never finished it.

[catoblue]

Life has a nasty habit of doing that. I heard about the RIM on another board and tracked it down - lots of really good stuff.

[scobes7]

I found this last year while putting together packages for potential LL umpires...great tool for them to read

[Dragon29]

I found this last year while putting together packages for potential LL umpires...great tool for them to read

Careful - I'd only (initially) give it to guys who are serious about umpiring. Giving it to your average LL volunteer would likely scare them off. I mean, it's hard enough to get some of those guys to read the rulebook!

True story:

At the end of an clinic I held two seasons ago, I'm handing out rulebooks to my attendees. Two guys (parent volunteers; one of whom was, I think, an assistant coach of one of the Minor teams) come up and ask for a book. I hand them books while saying, "Only if you promise to read them!"

They looked at each other for a moment and then without a word, each of them returned the books to me! I was joking! I mean, why would they even ask for books if they didn't intend to read them? What? Were they going to sleep w/them under their pillows & learn by osmosis?

At the time, I was shocked - I am no longer surprised by this kind of behaviour.

[catoblue]

True story:

At the end of an clinic I held two seasons ago, I'm handing out rulebooks to my attendees. Two guys (parent volunteers; one of whom was, I think, an assistant coach of one of the Minor teams) come up and ask for a book. I hand them books while saying, "Only if you promise to read them!"

They looked at each other for a moment and then without a word, each of them returned the books to me! I was joking! I mean, why would they even ask for books if they didn't intend to read them? What? Were they going to sleep w/them under their pillows & learn by osmosis?

At the time, I was shocked - I am no longer surprised by this kind of behaviour.

LOL!!!! I think those guys, or several of their relatives live around here!!!!

[scobes7]

Careful - I'd only (initially) give it to guys who are serious about umpiring. Giving it to your average LL volunteer would likely scare them off. I mean, it's hard enough to get some of those guys to read the rulebook!

True story:

At the end of an clinic I held two seasons ago, I'm handing out rulebooks to my attendees. Two guys (parent volunteers; one of whom was, I think, an assistant coach of one of the Minor teams) come up and ask for a book. I hand them books while saying, "Only if you promise to read them!"

They looked at each other for a moment and then without a word, each of them returned the books to me! I was joking! I mean, why would they even ask for books if they didn't intend to read them? What? Were they going to sleep w/them under their pillows & learn by osmosis?

At the time, I was shocked - I am no longer surprised by this kind of behaviour.

LOL... I did not give them out until our second mandatory meeting....weeding out some who after the first meeting dropped out.

[mstaylor]

Talking about coaches and rulebooks. I was working a HS scrimmage game with my interpreter and we had a rule problem come up. I answered it correctly, was backed up by my interpreter but for some reason the manager just wouldn't believe us. After the game we are walking to the parking lot and we tries to continue the discussion. I start to explain it again when my partner asked him where his rulebook was. He said he didn't have one. My partner said he didn't think so and kept walking. Learned something that day.