Advice for teen umpires?
- Thread starter ChrisSB
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Will she being doing games by herself? Or with partner? Hopefully with a partner, and ask him/her to carefully pregame, and give feedback.
Ideally, if there's an ump you know/respect that can take her out to the field even for an hour and do a clinic that would probably go a long way for her confidence. Ask the assigner for a recommendation on who she can reach out to. If not, watch games, as many as she can, to learn basic mechanics.
Remind her that it's rec, the stakes are low, so messing up (and she will) isn't the end of the world.
Don't let coaches bully you - half of them don't know the rules, or think they know the rules, or know baseball rules or rules they mislearned somewhere in a beer league or somewhere else.
Hustle. Know the rules as best she can. Hydrate. Keep learning. Don't let the turkeys drag you down.
Ideally, if there's an ump you know/respect that can take her out to the field even for an hour and do a clinic that would probably go a long way for her confidence. Ask the assigner for a recommendation on who she can reach out to. If not, watch games, as many as she can, to learn basic mechanics.
Remind her that it's rec, the stakes are low, so messing up (and she will) isn't the end of the world.
Don't let coaches bully you - half of them don't know the rules, or think they know the rules, or know baseball rules or rules they mislearned somewhere in a beer league or somewhere else.
Hustle. Know the rules as best she can. Hydrate. Keep learning. Don't let the turkeys drag you down.
I think it depends on the age, 2 umpires for the older ages, 1 for the younger. She umped her 1st game last week and it was 14 u. She was with another new teen ump. We had assumed they would start her off with an experienced umpire or with a younger age. DD was the home plate ump. They did not provide any protective equipment, so she wore her catcher's gear lol. She already had a parent harping on her but she took it in stride and I think she did a pretty good job, especially for her first time.
Thanks for the suggestions, finding another ump to do a clinic is a good idea!
I am an adult that does rec games as well as higher level games. It will be the parents and coaches that give you the most trouble. Try to tune it out, but if it gets too much or is personal let the coaches know that you are their partner in the rec season, not their adversary. Rec should be for fun and building skills for those that want to move up. Sometimes I hate that we even keep score!
I am curious, do you call differently for rec than you do for higher level? i.e. with the low quality pitching she saw in her 1st rec game the other night, are you a little more lenient with balls and strikes or do you call it the same as you would a higher level game?
I am also on our local softball rec council board. So prior to the season I go over with them what the strike zone will be and I tell them I will expand 1 ball off the plate either way and I will go knees to sternum (which somehow becomes letters when they want to complain). For my higher level ball it is the strike zone as defined by USA Softball. I refuse to call the looping, high pitch a strike. It only reinforces bad habits in hitters as I watch them swing above their heads!
I didn't see this before I made my little joke, and I assume others may disagree wit this, but my opinion is that she ought to let everyone know she's got a big zone. I know umps in here will rightfully disagree, but a lot of rec under 14 just turns into a walk-fest. Pitchers who can find the zone are playing comp at that time. So if the teams are going to have fun, she needs to giuve them incentive to try to hit. Now, clearly, some stuff may be impossible. But my feeling in rec ball was that if something is hittable, it ought to be called a strike. So both rivers and both shores, the letters, the bottom of the kneecaps. I understand the value in teaching hitters to respect the zone, but having watched my share of rec ball (DD didn't start comp until 14), if an ump sticks to a honest zone, the game all hinges on walks, passed balls and stealing home. It's funner when the girls have incentive to swing.
Just my opinion, though.
During the pre-game meeting, explain the strike zone to the coaches. That will cut down on 90% of the grousing.
Have her remind the coaches that she is 15 years old and that this is her second game as an umpire.
On close calls where the coaches get upset, she should consult with the field ump, even if she has no intention of reversing or reviewing the call - taking a pause to discuss can sometimes calm things down, makes the umpires look more professional, and helps achieve safety in numbers when both umpires agree.
Good luck!
Have her remind the coaches that she is 15 years old and that this is her second game as an umpire.
On close calls where the coaches get upset, she should consult with the field ump, even if she has no intention of reversing or reviewing the call - taking a pause to discuss can sometimes calm things down, makes the umpires look more professional, and helps achieve safety in numbers when both umpires agree.
Good luck!
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