n00b Questions

[jonathantullos]

So, I'm a complete newbie to officiating high school ball. When I did rec. league, I never knew who I was working with until I arrived, always wore the same shirt, etc. Now that I have my scheduling through Arbiter, I know who I'm working with and all. All of this to say: My assignor has given me my first game in a couple of weeks.

Now what?

What I mean is: For those who know who they will be working with in advance (most of us?), what kind of communication do you have prior to the day of the game? What kinds of things do you work out (I'm sure uniform and responsibilities are among those things)? What do you typically discuss when you and your partner arrive at the park? 

Any other general advice for a complete high school new guy?

It's a varsity double header so I'm assuming we will each have a turn behind the plate.

Thanks for your wise counsel!

[kylehutson]

I usually email my partner a couple of days before a game. We discuss

- travel arrangements. Travel here is often 30+ miles, so it makes sense to pool rides when possible.

- who is taking plate/field first (sometimes - I like to know because I like to put on my pants before I leave, and it's nice to know which pair to have on so I don't have to change). We always do doubleheaders, and I've only had one instance where it wasn't one plate and one field - that was when I was a last-minute fill-in for JV softball (I'm a baseball guy), and the other guy (who does only softball) offered to do both plates, so I let him.

- uniforms (sometimes - most of the time we'll decide when we meet face-to-face). Varsity here is mandated black or navy, but JV games can be anything as long as we match, and I have a whole rainbow of uniforms.

We save the actual pre-game for the car ride or at the field if we travel separately. That being said, there are times I've had no communication with my partner before getting to the field because we were coming from opposite directions, or I sent an email and they didn't reply.

[scrounge]

We only have one uniform in our state, navy with state assn logo, so that part is easy. Generally, about a week ahead I'll email partner to say hello, what time I'll be there, make and model of car, where I plan on parking if I know the school, phone #, and any other relevant info (rare, but if I know it might be tight due to distance/traffic, I may mention it and ask him to take plate, etc).

[VolUmp]

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Text to partner (about 4 days out):

Hello, John.

Just sent an email regarding our DH together on Wednesday.

Volump

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Email to partner (about 4 days out):

Hello, John.  You and I have the Columbus HS vs. Ashton HS DH on Wednesday, Mar 08, at 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm.

I'll be leaving here at 2:45 pm and would be happy to pick you up at the Main St Walmart parking lot if you want to ride with me.

If you have no preference, I'd like to take the plate on the first game.  If you have a preference, I'll defer to you.

I'll contact the school for both of us Monday to turn in our names and assure them there has been no change of schedule or personnel.

It looks like cold weather, so I'll be in one of my black jackets ... likely my thermal jacket.

If you choose to drive separately, I'll see you there no later than 3:30 — let's have a strong pre-game and complete their paperwork.

Shoot me back your answers ASAP!

Sincerely,

Volump   555-555-5555   volump@gmail.com

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Email to Head Coach (about 2 days out):

Hello, Coach Neal.  John Doe and I have your DH vs. Ashton HS on Wednesday, Mar 08, at 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm.

Please allow this email to assure you there has been no change of schedule or personnel.

John and I will be on site no later than 3:30.

I'd really appreciate knowing the following three items ahead of time:

— Name of School Administrator assigned to be on site

— Name of Scorekeeper

— Name of Trainer, or person with Concussion Protocol Training

If there is a change or cancellation due to weather, please contact me and I'll contact John.

We look forward to seeing you Wednesday.  Please shoot me back your answers ASAP!

Sincerely,

Volump   555-555-5555   volump@gmail.com

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jonathantullos,

The questions you've asked are excellent and paramount to being a good and reliable High School official, but I am nothing short of amazed that your Association hasn't gone over this with you step by step and even quizzed you on it.  I'm entering my 13th year, and I still sit through the "communications" training sessions every year — that's how important it is.

Best wishes! Check in with this forum often throughout the season.

[noumpere]

Not mentioned above:  Where to park (the lot behind left field or the lot behind right field?  The row at the north end of the lot or at the south end of the lot?) and type of car (so you can park in adjacent spaces)

[kstrunk]

Pre-game, pre-game, pre-game!!!! 

It is vital to 'pre-game', that is, explicitly discuss coverages, signals, and communication techniques at this stage of your career. Many 'experienced' umpires will go WAAAAY too quick through this for it to be effective for you, and some will neglect it altogether. DEMAND a good, 15-20 minute pre-game discussion, and make sure you understand your partner's lingo. 

There are other spots on this site to give more specifics on this. Happy reading! 

[Aging_Arbiter]

Our chapter meetings are on Monday's. so for Tuesday through Saturday games, we discuss with that week's partners before meeting, or after.  Monday games I usually call over the weekend.

[Mudisfun]

@VolUmp hit most of the highlights for me... 

I email or call my partner (prefer email) several days ahead of time. I block weekends (kids) so I am always coming from work which precludes carpooling. I detail out the game, site, time and if a DH I'll offer to take plate or defer; same as Volump. Since most games I will be working will be one game only the assignment is already in the Arbiter so we just go with that unless my partner has a specific request. We agree on shirt color and if we cannot then we default to black. We agree where to park and meet so we are not searching all over for each other  and about what time we will arrive.

A couple days before we communicate with the coaches verifying time/date/location, ask for a secure changing and showering facility if available and provide our info in case there is a last minute change. Perfect example on Wednesday the varsity coach called me 3 hours from game time to move the game to the local JC as the varsity field water pipes broke and flooded the field as well as gouged out a large hole in the field. The day of the game we are required to call the school and verify again that the game is on and in the right place. If they agree and we show and there is no game, game was moved or they confirmed wrong we are entitled to a partial game fee. Fail in this and A) no game fee and B) you may be in hot water for missing a game!

As a new guy or old guy the best advice is to communicate with your partner and make sure you know when and where to be. More than a couple days ahead of time may be overkill but make sure you are reaching out... nothing worse than not knowing where your partner is, 10 minutes to game time and your stripping off your base gear and half way into your plate gear and your partner strolls up all decked out for the dish wearing colors you don't even have. Don't be that guy :-)

Have fun!

 

[VolUmp]

First bit of feedback is coming in.

All coaches and partners, with one exception, reacts very well to the examples I posted above.  The one coach who was evidently too busy to answer my three simple questions is just flexing his muscles — like he doesn't need to be bothered with it.  He purposely gave vague answers like,

1) I don't know - me I guess   2) One of my coaches   3) Trainer 

"Am I gonna have to do this every game with every official?"

YES ... Pooooooor Baby .....

Regarding Pre-gaming ... I always start with the three mandatory rotations, R1 only, R1 & R3, and IFF situations.

Then I go through signs — anything given horizontally implies a potential rotation.

Don't say, "I've got 3rd!" on a rotation or run down ... that sounds like a player.  Just say, "I'm here!"

Anything given vertically implies "I'm staying home."

Never give more signals than you need.  Combine 3 signals into 2, or combine 2 into 1.  It's more efficient, and it draws less attention.

Fist on cap = IFF with no outs.  Point to 3B if R1 & R2.  Point down if Bases Loaded.

Index finger on cap = IFF with 1 out.  (same as above for base runners)

E.G. There's never a reason to point down to say I'm "staying home" after giving the time play signal.

Establish that if U1 is going out on a trouble ball, go out with confidence and don't look back.

Establish that if U1 comes in, don't look back for the catch — but count on me to yell, "Catch!" or "Ball's Down" for your sake.

Decide ahead of time how you will handle pulled foots and swipe tags.
Decide ahead of time how you will handle OBS and INT (especially at 2B on a double play ball)

If you are with a rookie who really doesn't know the balk rules, tell him not to call balks. Pure and simple.

I'll call balks, and he can learn by watching until he feels comfortable with it.

Remind each other to notate CRs and Pitcher Visits, and especially written warnings/dugout restrictions.

There's more, but that's the important stuff. 

I think a good pre-game between complete strangers should take no more than ten minutes.

[ricka56]

Pregame for a noob is important in my asso. Some learned to umpire 20+ years ago and still hold to mechanics/coverages that they learned way back when. You can escape a game unscathed using the dinosaur's obsolete mechanics/coverages, if you both are on the same page. But if you aren't on the same page, you're asking for trouble.

Pre Game with Partner.pdf is my list of things that partners should be in agreement on (at least for that game).