A Writer at Umpire School

Thanks for posting... I read that article today as well....seems liked it really opened his eyes...

I have always harbored a desire to attend the Evans school but with my current job and level of responsibilities I will not be able to get the 5 weeks off that is neccesary to attend...

I dont have any illusions of minor league baseball but Im sure I would come back as a better umpire.....

of the crew here, I believe Jimmy attended pro school and MST has some 5 day Pro school training....maybe I'll get one of those in one day...

How do umpires typically become umpires if they don't attend a pro school? Are there smaller "schools" for amateur umpires? Or is it more Saturday morning crash courses by local veteran umpires?

quote:

Originally posted by Emanski's Heroes:
How do umpires typically become umpires if they don't attend a pro school? Are there smaller "schools" for amateur umpires? Or is it more Saturday morning crash courses by local veteran umpires?

Typically, local associations either have a member or members who have received professional training or have access to former professional umpires who help train their new recruits in mechaics and rules.

The number of professional and collegiate two day, three day, and five day camps has grown tremendously in the past fifteen years.

Add to that the increase in communication brought on by the internet which has increased both the understanding of the rules and the desire for training. It was almost unheard of 30 years ago, for an amateur umpire to go to pro-school for just self improvement. Today, both proschools count those umpires to make their nut.

Overall, there are more competent amateur umpires today than, say 30 years ago, and the level of competence is higher.

When I first started working college ball in the late 70's many got their start at that level by being a fairly good HS umpire who had a friend who had a friend. Amateurs got to work as MiLB fill-ins because the had some connection to an adminsrator at a local ball club.

Not so much anymore. First, most MiLB leagues will no longer uses anyone as a fill in who did not attend proschool. Secondly, college assigners either produce or at least attend "NCAA" oriented camps to get a look at upcoming talent.

The process at one such camp is that if a newbie shows up and demonstrates promise, he'll be told just that...he has promise and will be considered down the road. The assigners then wait to see if he shows up the next year. If he does, and still looks good, he'll get a few games to see how he handles himself. IF he acquits himself well, the next year he'll get more games and could get a "full" schedule.

I love hearing people bemoan that umpiring is not as good as it used to be. He11, the kids starting out today are twice the umpire any of us over 50 were when we started.

Today there are a lot of instructional opportunities for interested individuals to become trained...not so much when I started out...

I started out as an ex-player who was given a hat and a shirt and told to go umpire a double header after the chief umpire of the league quizzed me on a few rules and situations.....I was left on my own to acquire and read the rule book as it was not supplied...(dixie youth)...

I muddled along in my ignorance for a few years when I got introduced to legion baseball and met up with a good mentor who immediately shook the rube out of me....joined a good association, that led to regular meetings and clinics and exams. At each level I picked up more instruction from the clinicians at each level...

At each level I have been assigned to, an evaluator has worked with me to see what level my skills are at and to instruct in the proper practices of that level....

Now I teach, and am the NFHS rules interpreter for my HS chapters....and I still go to clinics.....more often now as the clinician, but recently attended a regional ncaa level clinic that had pro instruction... the moment you think you learned it all its passed you by.....

quote:

Originally posted by piaa_ump:
the moment you think you learned it all its passed you by.....

Well said.

I started as a teenager getting pulled out of the stands for LL games. I got no training and no rulebook but found I enjoyed it. After several years I was asked to help on the 90ft SrLL field. I did that and some Pony baseball. After about eight yrs I finally got a couple of local clinics and a rulebook. Two more yrs I was asked to move to HS. Then I started getting real clinics and exposure to pro training. I also started out on the internet learning interps and mechanics. I became a student of umpiring. I am now,like PIAA, a trainer and interpreter. I did the same at the local NCAA level and the state level for LL.
For many guys it is not so different now except you get training much faster than when we came through. The two biggest things are boards like this and others and the ability to attand pro clinics. I have guys that are second year guys that know more than I did after ten years. Before you had a couple of guys that had some good experience but not standard mechanics like now or interps that we take for granted.
This is why I don't understand why umpires seem to want to fight and get personal on the internet. My focus is always to improve myself and to others to learn. I don't see any future in sniping at each other. I freely encourage healthy debate, keeps me honest, but picky **** is unneeded.

As a relative newcomer to the site I am happy to have found the experience this site provides startng with Stan, MST, Jimmy but many others as well.

Being too old now to handle the grind of high school ball with job and family requirements I always felt I had the capacity to do it because of my love for baseball as a former player, coach, and currently as an umpireumpire.

I started umpiring as a kid, (15-16 years-old) calling Koury League games in Miami to make extra money, did it throughout Little League in Orlando as LL does not pay for umpires and coaches volunteer for it for the last ten years, ands only recently have gotten back into it with Babe Ruth (10-11-12)-(13-15), and (16-18) as well as calling Adult baseball (36-over).

I umpire today with a lot of young guys who are definitely much more seasoned than I was at their age and that bodes well in my opinion.

I have attended clinics whenever I could find them locally and always look to improve myself as an umpire. I appreciate getting to learn more everytime I come to the site and I also use MST's site as well. Thanks guys!