Shortage of Umpires

[flash277]

I know money is always thrown out as the quick solution for everything ... we need more money to pay more for umpires, we can fix the education system with more money, we need to put more money into roads and infrastructure ....

Stop looking at the money and look at HOW IT IS SPENT. I work in an impoverished school district that has -- and I would be chastised for saying this -- PLENTY of money, but they are wasteful, neglectful, and corrupt when it comes to spending it.

Yes, better pay may attract new umpires, but retaining them is the bigger problem.

TREAT THEM BETTER. I'm not just talking about the fans (which is a HUGE issue, as we all know). I am talking about the way they are contracted, what is expected from them, how you treat them at your tournament, etc.

Provide them an isolated and accessible dressing area where they can change and take some down time.

Water is the MINIMAL requirement to provide. I don't expect you to feed me from your concession stand (and I hate umpires who pull that crap) as that is a profit center for you, but if you expect me to be there all day, you need to make sure I am covered for something to eat and drink.

Require games off. I know this will irk some guys who want to be Rambo Umpire and work all ten games of the day on the plate (and then bitch/brag about it). My last weekend was a prime example of a tournament where they should have said "We are only allowing you to work two in a row, then you need to come off and cool down and hydrate for a game." If you can't do games off, build breaks into your game schedules.

Treat us professionally (e.g., don't EXPECT us to fix your mistakes and stay late for you). A few weeks ago I was contracted for four games. My partner arrived and say they had a 5th game on our field. I asked FIRST THING -- do you have somebody coming over to our field for that last game? The TD looked at me and shrugged nonchalantly. I pointed out "We are contracted for 4 and you have 5 on the schedule." He didn't care.

We work our 4 and come off and the TD is standing there waiting. "You guys are going to do this last game, right?"

"No. We told you earlier we were here for four and you have five. We could have fixed it then. We both have commitments which we could have rearranged if you had told us then."

My partner asks "What is on our game checks?" The TD responds "Four games, but I'll pay you for this one." (In my mind: Oh, how very generous of you.)

My partner asks "How much?" TD replies "Normal game pay." Partner: "Nope. Like he said, we asked you this earlier and you didn't take care of it. My wife is already dressed waiting to go out for dinner. IF I am canceling on her, it needs to cover our inconvenience." The TD acted like we were the arses. (Maybe we were, I don't know.)

Then, in front of us, he offers another crew double-game pay to do the game. (The same crew that had Rambo Umpire on his 8th straight plate, who our assignor asked us to bail him out earlier in the day and our reply was -- Rambo Umpire's an idiot who did that to himself, you never should have let him, he had a partner the whole time.)

Time provisions ... umpires are paid by the game. We do not get paid for delays. If your tournament is running behind due to games running long, weather, etc., TAKE CARE of your umpires. You cannot reasonably expect me to sit around for three extra hours because you don't want to refund teams money. Develop a provision for time compensation. I'm not even saying you have to pay me (thought that would be ideal), but have the courtesy to order pizza or something when you have 20+ guys and gals sitting around with their thumbs in their ... uh ... ballbags. We have lives, we have other commitments, and we have other things to do. We are not just a mechanism for your profits.

Right on TMIB!.....Another nice perk we asked for was parking, a few close spots for umpires, since some tourneys get so crowded late game umps are parking quite far from the fields, (never happened). And you are right, I can take the abuse from coaches and parents, but what bothers me the most is that there is zero point zero appreciation for the umpires from my organizer. Not a bottle of water on 100 degree days, no tent shade, nothing. Nothing but the old "I really appreciate what you guys do"....Like what, line your pockets by taking 10% of every game fee on top of the $200 you charge us every year so we can work for you?....Like I said, I put up with it because I love the game, but there may come a time when I don't love it as much anymore.

 

[eddieq]

A couple of years ago, I arrived at a local complex to work an adult FP league game. It was a 6:30 game and it was about 5:30 when I rolled in. A guy I recognized as an ump sees me and asks, “are you here for the championship?” I said that I was not and was just doing the adult rec game. He asked me to jump into a semi final for the tournament that was happening. Apparently the plate ump had a medical emergency and his partner was now on the plate working solo. I happened to have the right shirt to match so I was happy to help. I was never treated so well by the fans. Every inning I was asked, “you ok? Do you need water? A power bar? Banana?” The teams had a taste of a shortage and didn’t want it to recur. Later I received a check for a half game fee (since I didn’t work the whole game). That told me enough about the tournament organizer as well. I don’t think I ever took another game for that org. I’ve worked for the same assignors but he knows I won’t work that tournament organizer.

 

[Beeg]

I think we should pay the umps more. I would love to be an ump when I retire. I was just talking to an ump the other day, and he loves the work, but sounds like the pay is very little for standing in the sun or rain for hours.

 

[sbmom19]

There is an all around shortage of youth sports officials. Many seasoned umps are getting out due to age, health, etc. and very few young people are taking their place. I won’t get into the reasons but one of the common ones is the way umps/refs are treated. Many feel it’s not worth it. That is an entirely different thread and has been beaten to death here.

I know I got a last minute call last weekend to pick up games at a tournament due to a lack of available umps and there was one this weekend where I know they were scrambling to get enough games covered. It’s like this all over.

My DD started umpiring during the summers when she started playing travel ball at 12 years old and umpired through her second year of college. Even umpired state tournaments and was invited to umpire in neighboring states - she was that good and so respected by the TDs and UICs. She stopped because it just wasn't worth it due to the absolute lack of respect and harassment she endured from coaches and parents - not for the money she made and expenses she incurred with uniforms, fees, etc. Several tournaments that she had to stop games to have parents removed and one tournament when after ejecting a coach (runners were continually leaving early and getting called out and the coach just lost her mind and started screaming at DD and fellow umpire) and the coach wouldn't leave so she had to call the TD and the entire team was ejected from the tournament - she was literally afraid to go to her car and I made her get the TD and UIC to walk her there. Would you stand out in the blazing sun all day and endure that kind of crap?

 

[marriard]

I know money is always thrown out as the quick solution for everything ...
Yes, better pay may attract new umpires, but retaining them is the bigger problem.

Purely money is not going to help retain me if I ever get to the point where enough is enough. An extra $5/game isn't changing my mind.
I am lucky enough to be at this long enough that I feel like I have few issues of my own making and have figured a lot of things out - new officials, not so much. And they are the ones we need to be able to keep.

TREAT THEM BETTER. I'm not just talking about the fans (which is a HUGE issue, as we all know). I am talking about the way they are contracted, what is expected from them, how you treat them at your tournament, etc

Provide them an isolated and accessible dressing area where they can change and take some down time.
Water is the MINIMAL requirement to provide.
Require games off.
Treat us professionally (e.g., don't EXPECT us to fix your mistakes and stay late for you).
Time provisions ...

I spend the majority of my breaks (if I get them) in my SUV with the AC on. I change out of the back of it 99% of the time. That includes MANY college games. Only once in HS this year was a room provided. About 1 in 5 tournaments MAY have a room for the umpires. One new major multi-million newly built facility has the umpires use the room where all the wifi equipment is because they installed AC for the wifi equipment. So a network closet. They never thought to provide the umpires space in their $100m+ project. It is pathetic. Hell, just hire a big tent and some big fans. Something.

I am about done with one org which I do a lot of games with because it is convenient (i.e. local) for me and I like sleeping in my own bed. But they treat the umpires like garbage - and they cut corners on the tournaments (lack of real competition to fill their tourneys).

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Some parents think they are part of the actual game...they aren’t.

They should ban parents from the ballpark. Just coaches and players.

That would solve so many problems.

 

[_MIA_]

They should ban parents from the ballpark. Just coaches and players.

That would solve so many problems.

I don't disagree..or they should at least be given a muzzle on entry.

 

[EdLovrich]

They should ban parents from the ballpark. Just coaches and players.

That would solve so many problems.

Heck, just tell them the the gate fee is a donation that will go straight to the umpires. THAT will keep most of them out voluntarily.

 

[mydogeaston]

@mydogeaston take the week off and leave you in charge of “drain the swamp” duty?

If there are rules being broken I am sure the moderators will take care of it..I have had posts removed. Just because somebody gets under your skin doesn’t mean they are breaking any rules.

Yeah bro, took the week off..... yet come back and your infatuation with me still exists. You can't seem to let it go can you.

Tell you what..... going to be in Norman for the next week or so.....send me your address........I am sure we can figure this out....

 

[_MIA_]

Yeah bro, took the week off..... yet come back and your infatuation with me still exists. You can't seem to let it go can you.

Tell you what..... going to be in Norman for the next week or so.....send me your address........I am sure we can figure this out....

I will be in my office during the day all next week..

Peter Attar

www.ou.edu