"how much did they pay you?"

[KLAH316]

In this same game, the chief umpire of the league (acting as an assistant coach), after I called obstruction IN FAVOR of his team, felt the need to inform me that my obstruction mechanic was WRONG.

If he's a coach, then he is nobody else during the game.  Not a board member, not an umpire, nobody!

[johnnyg08]

 

The fist w/ extended arm is still the "proper" FED mechanic in Minnesota.

It's goofy, but was one thing that MN kept around last year even though the NFED got away w/ it.

 

Begs the question, if it's not in the NFHS Umpires Manual, is it a "Fed" mechanic?  I think not.  I would call it a "state association" mechanic, but not Fed.

 

 

Not interested in splitting hairs, but there are approved FED mechanics in every state.  Each state can modify their mechanics, etc…it's still NFHS baseball in MN.

[johnnyg08]

10U is supposed to be developmental. If that happens, they learn not to do that. Officiating these plays differently at lower levels only means that the players are confused at higher levels than they should be.

Couldn't agree more. Another genius rule in my area for youth baseball is that there's no infield fly rule. So instead of properly teaching the kids how to deal with IFF offensively and defensively, they just change the rule.

[Stan W.]

In the OP, good class in "verbal judo' would work well here.....if you cant just ignore comments.......

[SoCal Lurker]

The parents & coaches are what's wrong with the youth games. I have gotten to the point where I avoid youth rec games if at all possible. The ignorant comments by parents and coaches, their equally ignorant boards only taking the parents words, being followed to the parking lot by parents, threats and many other forms of garbage. 

 

It's not worth it for me. Only once in a blue moon do I get any sort of enjoyment from youth games.

 

Thsi is deeply sad.  As a baseball dad (my son is is 13, moving from PONY to a not-too-serious travel team right now), I gotta say I really appreiate it when I see the umpires who actually know what they are doing and who put in the effort.  I try to say thank you to those guys after the game -- but it's not always possible.  When you do a kids game, and know what you're doing, know that there are a lot of dads out there like me who really appreciate what you're doing -- even if you don't hear about it. 

[Majordave]

@SoCalLurker. Nice post. I was a Daddy-Coach from youth until 18s, a parent observer, an American Legion Manager, a League Administrator, a High School Assistant AD and finally an umpire. Youth is definitely the hardest for all involved. I think 13s is the toughest. Hormones, hopes and dreams of the parents, coaches are more demanding and 90' basepaths and 300' plus fences make the game so hard for so many. I rarely work 13 and below now. I did when I started and it was tough. On everyone.

So, just keep offering compliments to those who deserve it. Attempt to educate the ignorant parents and coaches you deal with and if you aren't already an umpire, think about becoming one.

The Rules Abide book discussed in the books forum on this website is a great primer plus for anyone interested in really understanding the game better.

Thanks again.

My .02. YMMV

[UmpJM]

 

 

I heard this from a lovely gentleman in the parking lot following a MUSTANG GAME (9-10yo).  I asked him if he was insinuating that I took a bribe from the other team.  He said, "no, I guess you're too stupid for that".  His kid was standing right there.  Sometimes I don't know why I even do youth ball.     

 

Why would you respond with such hostility and suspicion? Who knows if he came armed with his insult, you might have provoked it.

 

I wasn't there, so I don't presume to know the context of the parent's question. But I do know that good seldom results from our escalating the situation.

 

I have a canned response for this question: "I'd officiate the game for free, but they have to pay me to listen to the parents!"

 

 

That's no better than his response...

 

 

Mike,

 

Of course it's better - it's funny!

 

Agree it's probably best not to say it out loud, but it's still funny.

 

JM

[GetItRight]

If you follow me to my car after the game, I am now off-duty and will tell you EXACTLY what I think about you if you're interested in a post-game discussion.

[Chip]

 

The parents & coaches are what's wrong with the youth games. I have gotten to the point where I avoid youth rec games if at all possible. The ignorant comments by parents and coaches, their equally ignorant boards only taking the parents words, being followed to the parking lot by parents, threats and many other forms of garbage. 

 

It's not worth it for me. Only once in a blue moon do I get any sort of enjoyment from youth games.

 

Thsi is deeply sad.  As a baseball dad (my son is is 13, moving from PONY to a not-too-serious travel team right now), I gotta say I really appreiate it when I see the umpires who actually know what they are doing and who put in the effort.  I try to say thank you to those guys after the game -- but it's not always possible.  When you do a kids game, and know what you're doing, know that there are a lot of dads out there like me who really appreciate what you're doing -- even if you don't hear about it. 

 

I do mostly 12U and 10U games and the vast majority of people are like you -- even if they might be griping vocally during the game. Many of the teams in the games that I umpire often have volunteer parents with basic rules knowledge and no education in mechanics doing the umpiring, so to see someone show up in uniform with a command of of the rules and procedures is somewhat novel to them -- and they appreciate it. Last year I had a parent come up to me before a game and say "it's so nice to have a real umpire for today's game ... we don't usually have that." Hopefully she felt the same way when the game was over!

[Pops]

 

 

The parents & coaches are what's wrong with the youth games. I have gotten to the point where I avoid youth rec games if at all possible. The ignorant comments by parents and coaches, their equally ignorant boards only taking the parents words, being followed to the parking lot by parents, threats and many other forms of garbage. 

 

It's not worth it for me. Only once in a blue moon do I get any sort of enjoyment from youth games.

 

Thsi is deeply sad.  As a baseball dad (my son is is 13, moving from PONY to a not-too-serious travel team right now), I gotta say I really appreiate it when I see the umpires who actually know what they are doing and who put in the effort.  I try to say thank you to those guys after the game -- but it's not always possible.  When you do a kids game, and know what you're doing, know that there are a lot of dads out there like me who really appreciate what you're doing -- even if you don't hear about it. 

 

I do mostly 12U and 10U games and the vast majority of people are like you -- even if they might be griping vocally during the game. Many of the teams in the games that I umpire often have volunteer parents with basic rules knowledge and no education in mechanics doing the umpiring, so to see someone show up in uniform with a command of of the rules and procedures is somewhat novel to them -- and they appreciate it. Last year I had a parent come up to me before a game and say "it's so nice to have a real umpire for today's game ... we don't usually have that." Hopefully she felt the same way when the game was over!

 

I've had that "real umpire" comment as well. All you can do is smile and thank them for the nice words. You won't get such appreciation every game.