Working "odd" hours

[hill2933]

I am a police officer and have been working a desk job for the past few years that is pretty much normal business hours. I am getting ready to go back on the street and will be working the midnight shift. Anyone else work other than normal hours and how does it affect umpiring games? I like the idea of being able to take my time getting to games and not feeling rushed making it from work but early games on the weekend can make for some long days.

[maninblack69]

I work an "odd" schedule as well. Wednesday nights I work from 11pm to 7am. Thursday through Sunday is from 3pm-11pm. So I'm basically open to work about 3 days a week umpiring. Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturday mornings.

 

So far it hasn't been an issue, but I can see how it may be going forward if I get in on the High School games next year. I'm just getting back into it this year, so the work load hasn't been too intense. Trying to get in a few places, but only one has panned out so far. We'll see how everything goes moving forward.

[carolinablue]

I work graveyard. 11p to 7a. I can do just about anything except some Varsity games that start at 7:30. I get a ton of MS games because they start at 3:45 to 4:30 around here and I can make it easily where a lot of guys can't. I'm off on Friday and Saturday night so the skies the limit on weekends.

[maineump]

I work 24 hour shifts. Being a firefighter has a great benefit as far as my umpiring schedule  . I work 48/wk but the schedule basically goes 24 on - 24 off - 24 on,- 5 days off.

Good pay, great schedule, lots of ball.

I am one of the few guys that can make games at odd times and travel if needed. I live in the center of our coverage area and the travel times can get long - 1.5 hours to the west, 1+ hour to parts of the coast, 1 hour north, 45 mins south - so I get quite a few of those games (mileage is paid).

I mostly travel for HS games, rarely for MS games. College, I could end up anywhere in the state.

[semper_fi_72]

Hill2923

One thing I ask that you always remember.

Never let your passion for Umpiring interfere with getting proper rest after or before a shift.

As with anything always remember "Officer Safety" first.

Thanks for protecting your community. 

[Umpire in Chief]

ump81 here is also a police officer and chooses to work 3rd shift so he is free to do baseball as often as he can. He loves it. 

[Dannytheman]

When I worked High School and Junior High games, my hours were 5 AM to 2 PM. I could easily get 2 games in if one had lights. Now I am standard 9 to 5er and can not make afternoon games. Now I just do LL majors games.(Occasional Minor A and rare Minor B.)

When I retire, I will get back into afternoon games, if they will have me back. 

[IABlue]

One of our top D1 umpires around here actually has a 3rd shift job overnight, and will frequently drive right to do a game in the middle of the day.

 

He says he actually likes working games on little or no sleep as it forces him to pay closer attention to what's going on.  He's kind of a weirdo, though.