- May 17, 2012
- 2,807
- 113
I wish they would ban all adults from the ballpark, including coaches. Coaches coach in practice and parents should raise *their* kids at home.
Game day should be played by kids, coached by kids, and umpired by kids.
Was it always this crazy?
- Thread starter AndyS
- Start date
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I wish they would ban all adults from the ballpark, including coaches. Coaches coach in practice and parents should raise *their* kids at home.
Game day should be played by kids, coached by kids, and umpired by kids.
- Oct 3, 2009
- 372
- 18
Youngbuck, where do you think "qualified adult umpires" come from? Trees? They start in the rec leagues and learn the craft just like rec players. And so yes these umpires who are learning to umpire are going to make mistakes. OH THE HORROR!!!! Outcomes of 12u rec softball games could be swayed. Who cares? I mean honestly isn't the goal at this age and level to create better softball players and umpires? And along the way both umpires and players and coaches by the way will make mistakes. Hopefully we all learn from them. Know what I mean?
- Feb 7, 2014
- 553
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... nothing like a 'low-bar !'
- Feb 3, 2011
- 1,880
- 48
When I'm at the fields, regardless of whether I'm on duty, everyone knows that I don't tolerate any badgering of the umpires.
There are some adults who feel that having to deal with unruly parents or coaches who want to argue everything is part of the job of being an umpire. There may be some truth in that, but my philosophy is that we should be doing what we can to make the rec experience enjoyable for everyone involved. It may be our job to give the umpires a venue to train in their craft and earn a little spending money, but toughening them (the umpires) up by letting adults get away with bad behavior should not be a priority.
There are some adults who feel that having to deal with unruly parents or coaches who want to argue everything is part of the job of being an umpire. There may be some truth in that, but my philosophy is that we should be doing what we can to make the rec experience enjoyable for everyone involved. It may be our job to give the umpires a venue to train in their craft and earn a little spending money, but toughening them (the umpires) up by letting adults get away with bad behavior should not be a priority.
It is particularly bad at 10U in rec leagues. You have "new" umpires just starting out and many "new" parents of players who are keeping score for the first time in a game. The parents don't like to see little Suzy "get cheated on a bad call", so they get all fired up so they don't have to feel like they let Suzy down. Also, many of these parents simply don't know the rules (ever see continuation done for the first time in a game at 10U? The parents go FREAKIN' NUTS!
). To the OP, it's not that it is worse than it ever has been, it's just that you've forgotten what it's like at the youngest age groups! I'll never go back to coaching in that age group ever again.
). To the OP, it's not that it is worse than it ever has been, it's just that you've forgotten what it's like at the youngest age groups! I'll never go back to coaching in that age group ever again.
- May 29, 2013
- 50
- 0
No point of comparison for me to say if it's gotten worse, but I find it unconscionable that adults would publicly berate a child the way I have seen some youth umps get treated.
When I coached rec, I made this a part of my opening parents meeting script -- just like your daughters are learning to play softball, the youth umpires are learning to be umpires. I won't scream or make nasty comments when your daughters make mistakes, so I expect the same treatment for the youth umpires. If I believe a call was incorrect, I'll calmly ask, once, for clarification/correction and then move on.
(Is this stemming from the thread about infield fly you started over in "rules"? I commented on that part of your post there too)
When I coached rec, I made this a part of my opening parents meeting script -- just like your daughters are learning to play softball, the youth umpires are learning to be umpires. I won't scream or make nasty comments when your daughters make mistakes, so I expect the same treatment for the youth umpires. If I believe a call was incorrect, I'll calmly ask, once, for clarification/correction and then move on.
(Is this stemming from the thread about infield fly you started over in "rules"? I commented on that part of your post there too)
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In a perfect world, yes. But think about it this way - how much is your time worth to go umpire a 10U rec game with parents who are over the top? I would much rather stay home and work in my yard than make a few extra bucks.
