New Umpire

[cwbaseball11]

Greetings! This is my first season as an umpire. I recently had my first two varsity games after several middle school and Freshman games. In both games, coaches were displeased with my decisions on some close calls. After the first game, the coach gave me a very poor rating/review. In the second game (different teams), the coach came out to argue twice and my partner stepped in and restricted the HC to the dugout for the rest of the game.

I am confident that I made the correct calls in all instances based on what I saw. I will admit that I had very sloppy mechanics and a poor explanation on one of the calls. I will definitely learn from that.

My question is, how do I “move on” from thinking about these two games and regain confidence as an umpire? What can I do to better handle coaches in the future?

[maven]

First season and working varsity games? Your association must be as desperate as mine.

How to move on: there's no magic trick here. Confidence comes from being good. Nobody's that good in their first year, which is why, with enough umpires, associations don't have rookie umpires working varsity. 

Work hard improving your mechanics and rules knowledge. Judgment comes from experience, which can't be rushed. Work as many games in summer and fall ball as possible, and next season will be better.

Sorry, best I can do for you.

[The Man in Blue]

Welcome to the ranks, @cwbaseball11!

You can't get better without experience.  The only way to get experience is to get out and do it.

Those games that you are lamenting about?  When did those happen?  That's right, two days ago.  You can't change them.  Tomorrow is another one.

[SeeingEyeDog]

Welcome, Brother @cwbaseball11! We all kick calls. You're not a professional umpire and neither am I. And guess what...the players and coaches you are taking the field with? They aren't professionals either. And yet, as the old saw goes, we are expected to be perfect from day one...and continue to improve. So, that's the expectation...that's THEIR expectation. Do THEY define YOU? They shouldn't...

"Being bothered by things" that happen to us on the field as umpires is a sign. A sign that we care about The Craft and what kind of umpire we are. If things go bad on the field and the umpire doesn't care about it? Or doesn't want to learn how to avoid it the next time? That's a sign that someone has either given up on being the best umpire they can be and just wants to collect a paycheck or...they're a stone psychopath.

This is how this forum lives and breathes...we bring in our "dirty laundry", and we help each other clean it and learn how not to get it dirty the next time. You'll meet all kinds here...some will hold your hand, some will dress you down, some will confuse you. If you remain open minded, you will become a better umpire. Oh...we're also a support group for G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome...) There's always lots of great stuff for sale in the "Buy, Sell or Trade" section. It's a brotherhood. You are not alone.

~Dawg

[834k3r]

27 minutes ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

Oh...we're also a support group for G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome...) There's always lots of great stuff for sale in the "Buy, Sell or Trade" section. It's a brotherhood. You are not alone.

~Dawg

My name is 834k3r and I have G.A.S.

Oh, and welcome @cwbaseball11! We were all first-year guys at one time or another. As a fairly new guy myself, I would encourage you to be a student of the game. Baseball, sure--but the game of umpiring. I'd love to work a game with you.

[cwbaseball11]

Thank you! Many of you have said the same things my assignor said as I have talked to him. I really want to get better at the craft. He has encouraged me that this will get more fun as time goes on and as I get better.

And yes @SeeingEyeDogI suffer from G.A.S. as well. It seems that “retail therapy” helps get my mind off of past games. 😂 I really have to be careful or all of my “earnings” will go towards purchasing more gear.

[Blue 5]

So, I'm a first year guy as well. But I'm in a unappreciated profession to begin with. So I'm more used to verbal insults and second guessing than most!
My state has gone to online learning and certification, which I thought no issue! And was perfect having a baseball/softball background already. I was so far from being right. I discovered umpiring is a sport within the sport and never knew what was involved. So I got through the online stuff and really began to self teach. Out of pocket, I also attended my state mechanics clinic that was in person. That allowed me to see live pitching, pick the brains of experienced umpires and just get a general feeling of the craft.
I then requested specifically to my assigner to assign me a scrimmage or two prior to official games. That happened and then weather decided they were not in the cards. This is where it kind of went haywire for a few games.
I was assigned several JV games with an experienced umpire for several games. But again, due to weather, I show up at my first game and the school changes the game from JV to Varsity! I'm like, awesome, as I see the local cable access channel there filming! I blew a call in that game and as soon as I did, I knew it. Luckily, we have the right to consult and we were able to make it right with my partner, which we did, with little issue. After that, I realized, I need to think like I'm still playing! Basically, what could happen in this next play? What is in effect? What should I be on the lookout for? Basically, anticipating and thinking on the field what to be ready for! I know we are supposed to do this but before I looked at it as I will call what transpires in front of me and that's a bad approach.
So I really made youtube my friend. From watching games that were live or recorded in full, to recapping rules to reviewing situations. That really helped along with going to games on my own, observing other umpires during games. Another thing I found was to plan with your partner and discuss each of your responsibilities. Meaning meet your partner in the lot and discuss the game and plan as each umpire does things a little different. That helps in making us as crew at least look organized and fluid.
As far as on field, I always conduct myself in a calm and professional manner. Regardless of my calls, I attempt to display a posture of confidence and maintain that demeanor and the same process during the game. I do the same routine as taught, each inning. (Clean plate, clean rubber, take my extended baseline position or field position each half inning. I'm not chatting it up or acknowledging anything other than my game duties. If I see a safety type issue(open gate,etc) I'm addressing it. Just basically conducting a game in a business like atmosphere.
I'm also making sure I'm bringing the game to me. Meaning I'm taking appropriate time on calls and moving from position to position as needed. This allows me time to get things in order and not rush. This helps me keeping things organized. It's just me and others may not like it but it has been working ok.
With all that being said, one big thing for me that I've learned in my work life, was to breath! Take a deep breath and get back your thoughts back in order. They tell us to not make a call on the run and to get set but think about your breathing. I'm sure after the coach coming out you had a bit of anxiety going on. That's nothing that a deep breath can't handle! It will help you clear your mind and reset. May sound lame but works for me!
I also switched to a call order counter, which for me made it much easier to smoothly and consistently keep the count accurate. To me, it was a way to eliminate a stressor while behind the plate.
I'm far from perfect and just letting you know what has helped me so far. I happened to work a game with our mechanics advisor and after the game was asked if I would consider upgrading my certification to highest class rating. Which was a confidence builder to me and has since led to being assigned to higher tier games on a regular basis based on the above review and good reports from coaches to our association.
With that, one coach found out where I lived and asked if I was willing to work their middle school games that he was having issue filling. I said sure let me know what you got! He gave me a list of 9 games and I took them all. Which had really helped in my confidence and was alot less pressure than my first games! So like others have said get your time on the field but also find things that work for you to eliminate stressors and anticipate what could transpire.
The few issues I have had I am always calm and let the coach walk to me. I tell them before the game, if there is an issue, come see me and we can talk and figure it out. Rarely have I been taken up on the offer.
Again, I'm by far perfect but have found several things to gain me confidence and control over the game, my process and players and coaches. The rest outside the lines, I don't worry about or pay any mind! Best of luck and know you are not in this boat alone. I'm right along side you!

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

[wolfe_man]

First off, let me say welcome to all of the newer umpires.  We're glad to have you with us. There have been several good points brought up, but let me say some things in agreement.

1. Take as many games as you can comfortably do.  As others have said, experience can only be gained by getting out there and doing it.  About year three, things clicked and the game slowed down for me and I began to see things a lot better.  My timing improved, my calls got more accurate and I was more confident in them too.
2. Watch and learn all you can. Stay hungry.  You will never know it all, but you can learn a little more each year.  You can learn by watching the best (at your level, MiLB, MLB, etc). I still like watching all levels of baseball, but especially like to put myself in the position of the umpire and try to make every call and see if I have the same thing the men on TV do.  Read about it, scan articles on this site and others.  I've probably learned more from listening and applying things learned on here than I did from my state-mandated class and certification.  Clinics are good as well and recommended.  The more serious you take it, the better you will get and be. 
3. Try to improve on something each game.  If doing the plate, focus on timing, outside corner, low pitch, etc. and really own it.  Mechanics are important too.  Even if the calls are right, but you didn't voice (sell) your close call, then a coach might not believe you saw it fully.   Learn the mechanics and movements, but learn how to voice a strike, ball, close out, obvious out (nothing said - just give a hammer), foul ball (again, obvious vs. close is very different vocalization) and fair ball (please do not say FAIR).  Learn how to put the ball back into play every time that time is called or a ball went out of play.  Learn how to signal your partners.  Ask questions if you aren't sure for that's how we learn.
4. Have fun out there.  Umpiring is not as easy as most people think.  At least, not if you're any good at it.  It's more than simply knowing what's coming (or thinking you may know) - but it's knowing how to stay out of the play while anticipating the play (but not over-anticipating it and getting out of position) and being in the right place to get the best look to make the correct decision.  You've got to be a little off to enjoy being one of us!  Most would run screaming from this job the first time they get feedback from the bleachers or a coach, but there is something in an umpire that keeps us coming back.  Learn to enjoy the camaraderie with your peers and love the game itself.  Like life itself, umpiring is largely what we make of it.  It can be a lot of fun and quite a great experience - or it can be the worst decision of your life and a drudgery - it'll depend on your outlook, your effort and your desire.

Best of luck and welcome again to the family!

[aaluck]

18 hours ago, cwbaseball11 said:

After the first game, the coach gave me a very poor rating/review.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could rate the coaches?  And what a dick for doing that to a first year guy that as @maven stated probably allowed him to have two umps, or even a game--as we are also very short handed.

As for the rest, Im 55 and been doing this a long time and I sometimes still think back on how I could have handled something better, or done something different.  You cannot dwell on things, especially during the game.  After the game talk with your partner and ask his advice.  Too many veteran umps don't help newer guys and sometimes just asking them...Hey, how do you think I handled that situation and what could I have done better? Often talking something out not only makes you feel better but helps you learn more quickly.

Umping is like any other thing you do in life, the more you do it the better you get (most of us, some just reenforce bad habits into muscle memory).  Obviously your association has the confidence in you or they wouldn't have put you into that position.  They also seem to have the intelligence to put a strong guy with you--as he restricted the coach when needed.

@SeeingEyeDogalso makes a great point that we all need to remember.  Yes we all need to do the best we can, but no one out there on that field is a professional.  But we need to be as professional as possible.

 

[MadMax]

On 4/26/2023 at 6:43 PM, SeeingEyeDog said:

Oh...we're also a support group for G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome...)

 

On 4/26/2023 at 7:15 PM, 834k3r said:

My name is 834k3r and I have G.A.S.

Does this make me a GASpumper? 

Seriously, though, my advice would be, when it comes to the parade of partners you will undoubtedly encounter, analyze everything they tell you, or direct you to do, or “mentor” you on. 

One of my colleagues was hired to professional baseball within the past year. I tell his story to numerous new umpires, regardless of their age, because the method he used was so effective. Over a five year period, and especially in the third and fourth year, he was working frequently, at a variety of levels, and with a wide assortment of fellow umpires. He did two critical things: 

1. He identified at least one thing that each umpire-partner did extraordinarily well or effectively, and made an active, conscious evaluation of how it might be integrated into his repertoire and skillset. 

and then… the oft-overlooked part… 

2. He identified any / all bad habits, quirks, or maladies (not just deficiencies; these are shortcomings that the umpire-in-question would resist addressing, fixing, or improving) in those umpire-partners, and made a conscious decision to never let them influence his skillset. 

So please, if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, but doesn’t float, it may be a wooden rabbit. 

Uh no, not quite. I mean to say, if something that an umpire-partner doesn’t sound quite right, by all means, run it past us here. 

[The Man in Blue]

17 hours ago, MadMax said:

So please, if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, but doesn’t float, it may be a wooden rabbit. 

[834k3r]

On 4/28/2023 at 9:53 PM, MadMax said:

So please, if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, but doesn’t float, it may be a wooden rabbit. 

She turned me into a newt!

[MadMax]

1 hour ago, 834k3r said:

She turned me into a newt!

But you got better, am-I-right? 

Oh! Back to the “new umpire” topic… on the “get better” part… 

Consciously purge that phrase from your umpire vocabulary. “Get better” is such a vacuous, vapid response to the question “why are you here?” or “what do you want to work on?” I’d much rather hear an umpire say something specific, no matter how minor or trivial, and something that can be measured or evaluated. And when “getting better”, what are you getting better than? Or, better than who? 

If you reply with something specific, trust me, it’s not revealing a deficiency as a weakness. There isn’t a deficiency you’ll be able to hide from a really good, experienced instructor anyway. And, by identifying it, it demonstrates that you self-evaluate, don’t think yourself perfect, and there are occasions when an instructor will actually tap you so as to participate first, or more focused, in a drill that encompasses that very thing you mentioned. 

“I really want to work on my drop-steps for double-plays at 2nd”, or “I’m not quite getting the in-the-wedge concept at the plate, and someone mentioned Will Little’s “rail tracks” method, so I want to engage in that…” These are much better examples than the flippant, “Uh, I just wanna get better”. 

[The Man in Blue]

I'm taking a break from grading papers.  I believe today's youth have been trained NOT to answer any question with any detail or definitive proof they have read and understood the question, let alone the material.

I'm here to improve upon the skills that will make me a better umpire.  I plan to get better so I can make more money by being better.  When I make more money, that will make my skills better and I will have better umpire skills.  I agree with him because he is better skills which makes him a good umpire.  

So how do I kick out a coach and when do I get paid?

[MadMax]

4 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

I'm here to improve upon the skills that will make me a better umpire.  I plan to get better so I can make more money by being better.  When I make more money, that will make my skills better and I will have better umpire skills.

 

[cwbaseball11]

I appreciate all the answers, insights, and encouragement. I have a great assignor who is always encouraging and giving me opportunities to improve. I also work in a fantastic association as well, and I have been assigned to work with vets who are patient, kind, and willing to offer feedback. The camaraderie and brotherhood is awesome!

I had my third Varsity game last night, and it went really well. It was a needed confidence booster for me. My partner gave me great feedback during and after the game, as well as some things to work on at home. He also encouraged me with what I was doing well. 

Last night, I decided to make a concerted effort during the game to work on stopping to watch the play and slowing down making the call. This seemed to help me stay calm during the game. It also kept me from screwing up my mechanics like in my last Varsity game.

It finally became "fun" again last night. This will probably be my last Varsity game of the season, but I am looking forward to continuing to sharpen my skill as I work Freshman games over the next week and a half before the season ends.

[834k3r]

 

On 5/3/2023 at 5:42 AM, cwbaseball11 said:

Last night, I decided to make a concerted effort during the game to work on stopping to watch the play and slowing down making the call. This seemed to help me stay calm during the game. It also kept me from screwing up my mechanics like in my last Varsity game.

This was huge for me when I started (I'm still a newbie when compared to the vets on this site); slowing down makes everything better.