The Decline of Umpiring

[MoJo]

There is a new trend with sports officials other than the decline in numbers because of parents and COVID.
The decline of knowledge and ability.

In the past (and it is fading fast to the past) that parents were the problem with youth sports. The goal to shame bad parents with signs, teams requiring good conduct contracts and peer pressure has worked. Covid can be blamed a bit for loosing some officials.

But not anymore.

I was interested in softball officiating. Not any more. I use to defend umps at softball games. Not any more. Umps use to be good. Not anymore.

This Fall Ball season has been ridiculous and bad.

Now the sport is just left with what is at the bottom of the ump barrel.

It is OK to demand that sports officials be competent.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

On what experience is your opinion based? Local? National? A certain sanction/s?

It's a big ol' country and your comment seems to generalize a whole avocation with a pretty broad brush. You may indeed have the experience to back up the statement, but just curious what you're basing it on.

I do agree that we should at a minimum demand competence. And that bad umpiring is not uncommon. But there are still a lot of good and great umpires out there, and plenty who are striving to get better.

 

[Lance Steckler]

the calls I see that really tend to get people going get lumped into a couple categories

#1. The BLATANT safe / out call that is missed. like the runner touches 1b and 1 second later ball arrives. Out being the call.

#2. Grossly not knowing a rule. Not some obscure rule, basic stuff that ump misses. example, standing in fair territory, 3b reaches into foul territory and picks up a rolling ball. and the ump rules fair.

#3. everything else that goes against the complainers team be that strike zone, safe / out, etc.

 

[Rolling Hard]

We played in a PGF Showcase and one of the umps was 80 years old. Really, I asked him. Ump are getting older and older. I don't have the answers, just an observation. I fear for their safety.

 

[Anthony Vertuccio]

No one wants to umpire because they dont want the abuse. Simple

 

[JumboJack]

There is a new trend with sports officials other than the decline in numbers because of parents and COVID.
The decline of knowledge and ability.

In the past (and it is fading fast to the past) that parents were the problem with youth sports. The goal to shame bad parents with signs, teams requiring good conduct contracts and peer pressure has worked. Covid can be blamed a bit for loosing some officials.

But not anymore.

I was interested in softball officiating. Not any more. I use to defend umps at softball games. Not any more. Umps use to be good. Not anymore.

This Fall Ball season has been ridiculous and bad.

Now the sport is just left with what is at the bottom of the ump barrel.

It is OK to demand that sports officials be competent.

Did little Suzy get called out looking at a low strike and ruin your whole weekend?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[radness]

There is a new trend with sports officials other than the decline in numbers because of parents and COVID.
The decline of knowledge and ability.

In the past (and it is fading fast to the past) that parents were the problem with youth sports. The goal to shame bad parents with signs, teams requiring good conduct contracts and peer pressure has worked. Covid can be blamed a bit for loosing some officials.

But not anymore.

I was interested in softball officiating. Not any more. I use to defend umps at softball games. Not any more. Umps use to be good. Not anymore.

This Fall Ball season has been ridiculous and bad.

Now the sport is just left with what is at the bottom of the ump barrel.

It is OK to demand that sports officials be competent.

This seems to have happened in other areas of people.
Not just umpires.

*would not lump everyone into bottom of the barrel,
But when its encountered its noticable.

 

[radness]

No one wants to umpire because they dont want the abuse. Simple

Dont buy that for a penny.
Simply because
It's a job like many many other jobs that get the brunt of the Public's stuff.
~At least
Umpiring comes with authority.
Most of the time they are their own boss.

 

[JayW]

Did little Suzy get called out looking at a low strike and ruin your whole weekend?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

you’re right - better to complain about the high strike.

 

[BrianTx01]

I think umpire quality varies widely. Some are great.... others not so much. I doubt this has changed recently.