Please respect your umpires

[HunterMO]

DD’s school coach holds a parent/player meeting and up front says he will not tolerate heckling the umpires. Says he has removed parents in past years.

There were a couple times over the season a parent would say something or give a “come on blue!”. The death stare he’d give was one of the best I’ve ever seen. One time he gave a verbal warning to a parent.

I liked that.

 

[EdLovrich]

It is truly great to hear all these stories. Part of the decline in poor behavior this year is due to not playing last year. I am hopeful it sticks and becomes the 'new normal' and 'building back better'.

Thanks to everyone who goes out of their way to give a compliment after a game, especially when it is 90 and no breeze and the third game of the day.

 

[mmeece]

Although this is true too, the worst parents are the ones with the younger kids. The older the kids get, the better the parents are, usually.

100% true! Give me 16u and up all day. Parents have mostly figured it out by then, or at least understand which calls are even worth complaining about. I honestly don't mind hearing a little feedback, it's just part of the game. But incessant complaining about every little thing just grinds on me.

 

[marriard]

Hmmmm.... if your umpire is giving 100% they deserve your respect - good or bad. 99%+ are doing their best. No one wants to miss a call or not know a rule and so on. But it does have to be a 2-way street.

Nothing bothers me as an umpire more than one of my fellow umpires not doing their best and game after game makes other officials look bad by association. Give me an inexperienced umpire willing to learn versus someone who is just 'out there' every time.

It isn't many - but there are a few umpires locally that I just refuse to work with.

 

[canyonjoe]

I remember my first time umpiring when I was 11 playing in Little league. We were off that night but I went to game to watch some friends play. They asked me to ump because someone didn't show up. After that I did a lot of minor league and softball and then little league once I turned 13. Back then if you did the plate you also had calls at 3rd but it wasn't so bad. What I did learn was that often you had bad angles based on the position you were at. Sometimes you could move to a better one but you just made the call and went on. I never argue calls that are bang bang plays especially if I feel the ump had a bad angle and did what he though was right. 99 percent of umps do a pretty good job. Of course we all want the corner and a ball or to more when we are on D and not up to bat. When I coach first I always talk to the guy before the inning. I'm not trying to gain an advantage and some guys would rather not talk which is fine. Truthfully I've probably had more arguments with other coaches or our fans when I tell them either the ump was right or that it was too close to argue but.... I would get into it but my eyesight isn't great from sitting at a computer for 25 years. Just not fair to the the kids.