My son's team returned from a tournament recently where the umpire crews were working 4-5 games in a row. Is this normal where you work/play?
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Here in Eastern NC we do it every weekend. Work 2 or 3, have a break and then 2 or 3. Plate and field rotation thru the day.
It clearly depends on the tourney, the level of the tourney and the availability of umpires....Many tournaments require League certified umpires and that can lead to a shortage of Umpires. I have done 4-5 games in a row before and as you can imagine it is just not optimal.
4th of July or any Holiday tournament are always a challenge, as umpires have a family life as well and availabity to do games can be less....therefore the games are covered by those who will stay....
As a Director of Umpires for some local tourneys, I try and not schedule any more than double headers for umpires...they get tired and can lose focus...
As an umpire who does tournaments, I prefer to work no more than 3 games in a day (but not back to back plates)....I just cant mantain the level of focus needed to do a good job for each game....I cant imagine doing 4-5 HS or college level games in one day and expecting to do be able to put the best product on the field...
4th of July or any Holiday tournament are always a challenge, as umpires have a family life as well and availabity to do games can be less....therefore the games are covered by those who will stay....
As a Director of Umpires for some local tourneys, I try and not schedule any more than double headers for umpires...they get tired and can lose focus...
As an umpire who does tournaments, I prefer to work no more than 3 games in a day (but not back to back plates)....I just cant mantain the level of focus needed to do a good job for each game....I cant imagine doing 4-5 HS or college level games in one day and expecting to do be able to put the best product on the field...
This was a 17U tournament during the last weekend in June. If the umpires had been 20-something I could have understood a little better. These guys were pushing 65. We had them for game 2 and game 4 and boy was there a difference in their overall demeanor. All the games were back to back with maybe 15 minutes between.
We're doing USSSA ages 9-17. There are just not enough guys to cover the demand here in NC.
Tournament time is tough........like 55Dad says there just isnt enough of us to go around.....The big tourney I go to each year brings in umpires from 3 states and houses them for free at a local college.....
The demeanor of the umpires, players coaches and fans all change as the day goes on and the games pile up......I worry more about the quality of the umpringing decisions and the health effects on the umpires themselves.....
All in all there just isnt enough of us to go around....I look around my association and I see alot of older guys ....and guys for whom doing that many games might be detrimental to their health...
I have one guy who loves to do games, but has heat issues.....I have 2 guys in their 70's....
Certainly not optimal.....not sure what can be done....I do my games and circle back and help in whenever I can.....
I've stepped in and took the bases for an inning or so to give a guy a break....
The demeanor of the umpires, players coaches and fans all change as the day goes on and the games pile up......I worry more about the quality of the umpringing decisions and the health effects on the umpires themselves.....
All in all there just isnt enough of us to go around....I look around my association and I see alot of older guys ....and guys for whom doing that many games might be detrimental to their health...
I have one guy who loves to do games, but has heat issues.....I have 2 guys in their 70's....
Certainly not optimal.....not sure what can be done....I do my games and circle back and help in whenever I can.....
I've stepped in and took the bases for an inning or so to give a guy a break....
Our HS summer team had a tournament this past weekend. Probably 90 at 8:00. By the end of the final game on July 4, it was pushing 110.
The last play was a double play where the runner beat the throw to first by two steps. Fans from both teams cheered the call...
The last play was a double play where the runner beat the throw to first by two steps. Fans from both teams cheered the call...
When I assigned tournaments I would use a crew of three umpires working two man for six games. They would alternate so that each umpire worked four of the six games.
I try to do the same as Jimmy, give the guuys a game off when possible. This is not always possible and then you have to what you have to do.