To New Umpires

[Chance]

While I am far from a veteran umpire I have learned many things that I can do off the field to better prepare myself both from this board and my mentor. This is more for rookie umpires but I am also hoping for more ideas to give guys to prepare themselves and feel more at ease once things get under way. First off, if you have new equipment, get use to it. Make sure it fits properly, make sure you can run in your shin guards, your chest protector is tight enough to guard against your collarbone area and is not moving around. Practice with your mask, putting it on and taking it off with your left hand while holding your indicator. For those that wear a HSM, practice making lineup changes. You do not want to make a change and look like your playing hot potato with you mask. Practice with your indicator to try to keep from staring at it on the field. I learned from people on this board to notch out my indicator so I know without looking when it is reset . Practice getting balls out of your ball bag, even though it may be your first game, look like you have done it before. Most of these things I practiced right in my own living room. I even went to the extent to gear up while watching a game on espn classic. I kept the count and even practiced calling the pitches while working on my stance and foot work. Doing all of these things gave me a little more confidence once the first game rolled around and definitly kept me focused on the game and not myself. Anyone else have anything to add?

[bigblue89]

Practice your hand signals. I was a rookie last year and i cant tell you how many times at the beginning of the year i showed them backwards. Practice making LOUD fair/foul calls. Learn how to shine your shoes, cleanliness is next to godliness (or something like that). Just a small small things i learned over the course of the year last year that, like you said, make you look like you've been doing this your whole life. Thank you Chance.

[catsbackr]

Practice your hand signals. I was a rookie last year and i cant tell you how many times at the beginning of the year i showed them backwards. Practice making LOUD fair/foul calls. Learn how to shine your shoes, cleanliness is next to godliness (or something like that). Just a small small things i learned over the course of the year last year that, like you said, make you look like you've been doing this your whole life. Thank you Chance.

Please don't vocalize fair balls.

[UMP45]

Resolve yourself to the fact that you will get hit. I've been umpiring a few years and I still tell myself before every plate job that I will get hit . That way you aren't concerned about it. It makes it easier to to get your focus back.

[bigblue89]

Practice your hand signals. I was a rookie last year and i cant tell you how many times at the beginning of the year i showed them backwards. Practice making LOUD fair/foul calls. Learn how to shine your shoes, cleanliness is next to godliness (or something like that). Just a small small things i learned over the course of the year last year that, like you said, make you look like you've been doing this your whole life. Thank you Chance.

Please don't vocalize fair balls.

Ya my brain wasnt communicating what my fingers were typing, i know not to vocalize fair calls. Good catch my bad

[JaxRolo]

Never say "I got the ball"

[boyinr]

1. Buy the best protective gear you can. It will make you a better umpire if you are not worried about being hit. If you stay umpireing this is what you will end up with. If you only do it a few times the pro gear can be sold at much less of a loss.

2. Always bring your plate gear if you are assigned to the bases. Stuff happens, be prepared.

3. Show up early, look professional and hustle.

[yawetag]

Resolve yourself to the fact that you will get hit. I've been umpiring a few years and I still tell myself before every plate job that I will get hit . That way you aren't concerned about it. It makes it easier to to get your focus back.

Funny. I don't think about it until after I'm hit.

[UMP45]

Yawetag it is just a mindset so you don't dread doing the plate!

[Mike Prince]

That's funny (or I am a bit odd), I have never dreaded doing a plate. In fact given a choice I always want the plate. Getting hit is never in my mind.

My advice for new umpires is to keep your head locked in and do not flinch behind the plate. Also don't be in a hurry to make a call, timing is everything.

[JaxRolo]

That's funny (or I am a bit odd), I have never dreaded doing a plate. In fact given a choice I always want the plate. Getting hit is never in my mind.

My advice for new umpires is to keep your head locked in and do not flinch behind the plate. Also don't be in a hurry to make a call, timing is everything.

I just finished a 4-day camp and I must have heard that 1000 times

[Fittske24]

Say no to combo pants! Buy a pair of base pants and a pair of plate pants. If you must buy combos.....only wear them on the plate!

[tjthresh]

Say no to combo pants! Buy a pair of base pants and a pair of plate pants. If you must buy combos.....only wear them on the plate!

Why? I love my combos.

[JaxRolo]

I can see guys that work the REC and have a Saturday 2-3-4-5 games may want to wear combos if they are changing Umpires between games. But at a HS level or above I agree Base pants and Plate pants.

[gejoe00]

I once forgot that I had taken my base pants to get cleaned and pressed and forgot to pick them up and all I had was my plate pants and I wore them. GUESS WHAT, no one noticed that I was wearing them and I wore them for a doubleheader. Once for the bases and the second behind the plate.

[zm1283]

I once forgot that I had taken my base pants to get cleaned and pressed and forgot to pick them up and all I had was my plate pants and I wore them. GUESS WHAT, no one noticed that I was wearing them and I wore them for a doubleheader. Once for the bases and the second behind the plate.

If another umpire worth his salt was there he would have noticed.

Please, please guys....buy plate and base pants if there is any chance you can afford it.

[Umpire in Chief]

I'd advise new guys to be open to suggestion and keep an open mind about improving through your umpiring career.

Virtually every paretner you work with will have some tidbit of info for you. Listen to it, consider the source, and file that info away for later. If it's something which you believe has merit give it a try work it into your umpiring repertoire if you like it or even file it away as it may be more useful or have greater meaning somewhere down the road.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Thats the way we learn so ask questions.

You can not umpire on the safe side and worried about not screwing up because you will screw up. Take it as a learning experience and move on. Some of your worst calls, or incorrect rulings will be your greatest learning tools you will ever have.

When you get to the point where you have gained knowledge and experience pass it on to the next class of umpires. Use what you have learned to help bring along up and coming umpires.

Finally, when you get to the point where you aren't learning any more or are not enjoying calling games, hang it up. Umpiring is fun and if it gets to the point where you don't enjoy it your not doing yourself, your fellow umpires or the game any favors by continuing to umpire.