Resources for new umpires

[mmeece]

@Comp @MTR @marriard
(and any other experienced umpires here) I would greatly appreciate any resources you could direct me towards that would benefit new umpires, such as other message boards, online rule explanations/case explanations, etc. Also, if there are clinics you would recommend I would appreciate any feedback you have on them. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

 

[marriard]

Obviously first place is to get with your local UIC (Umpire in Chief) at the local tournaments or wherever softball is being played. If you don't know - just ask one of the umpires and they should be able to direct you - they got assigned the game by someone. They will get you hooked up with the local umpires and whatever training they provide. There is always a few people mentoring the newer umpires - find someone you like and work with them as often as you can. Watch umpires you respect work when ever you get a chance. Watch how the good umpires move and communicate especially. Being in the RIGHT place to make a call is a big part of being successful.

In some cases it is going to depend on what sanctions run your tournaments in what rule book you use. Most are similar.

On places to look online.

The following site is Baseball orientated, but it has a lot of good info - especially the essays on Working the Plate on the below pages:

Working the Plate - UmpireBible

UmpireBible - Resources for umpires of amateur baseball

www.umpirebible.com

The USSSA Rule Book and Interpretations are on this page. The rules are great - the interpretations are every bit as important.

USSSA - United States Specialty Sports Association

usssa.com

Probably late for this High School season but again your local state guys can point you to their site or you can get rulebooks/casebooks from https://www.nfhs.org/activities-sports/softball/

At some point USA Softball will have their umpires school. I don't do a lot of USA Softball so I haven't been - also they have not been local.
But theirpage has a lot of info - Umpire Manual is excellent. There is an umpire exam as well. Great website to explore.

National Umpire Schools

www.teamusa.org

Equipment... don't go nuts to start with. I like to buy from ump-attire.com. You don't need armor just yet - A nice Champro Pro-Plus Umpire Chest Protector is < $60 and is good for everything less than college and even some college - you actually don't get hit in the chest all that often - shoulders more often.

My mask is actually from a Play-it-Again Sports and I put a new harness on it. $3 indicator is good (have 2). Set of 3 kitchen timers ($10). Thick, wide NON-PATENT leather belt. Plate brush.

Shin guards - I like the ones with the toe extensions - that way you don't have to have plate shoes as well as base shoes to start out. Don't cheap out here - this is where you get hit ALL the time. Always wear a cup if you are a guy.

Shoes - I like my 3n2 black turf shoes but they are hard to find. There are all Black New Balance shoes online for about $55 that I will buy next. And yes, umpires shine their shoes so buy some Kiwi shoe shine kit. Get shoes from Amazon - the umpire equipment sites way overcharge.

Smitty pants. Unless you are really weird - the combo pants will work for plate and base - you don't need specific pants to start with. HEATHER GRAY for softball. Not medium gray or charcoal. HEATHER GRAY. Don't get the expander waists - they just make them fall down.

Shirts and caps will be through whatever sanction you are umpiring with. You collect these like beanie babies. I have a closet full and I am not even that experienced.

This is the BEST umpires Lineup Card Holder. Don't get anything else:

Pro Grade Magnetic "Book" Style 6" Umpire Lineup Card Holder / Game Card Referee Wallet

Finally, a professional-grade wallet for serious umpires and officials with magnet holders that won't allow your lineup or game cards to slip out of your wallet when you open it up. This multi-featured wallet, exclusively at Ump-Attire.com and designed by a veteran ump

www.ump-attire.com

Ask lots of questions.

Comp and MTR have made me a MUCH better umpire and I have never met either of them in person.

 

[mmeece]

Thanks so much!

 

[MTR]

Before going whole-hog on uniform and equipment, determine the association for which you will be working. Different ones have different requirement for uniform and some equipment, so don't waste money on something until you know it will be useful.

Same with training. Get you training from the association for which you will be umpiring. I have always urged new comers to limit themselves to one game and rule set the first year or two as a matter of developing some consistency and confidence.. I've seen many people jump into it full tilt, but end up mixing up rules and mechanics between the games you are working.

Be choosy over to whom you listen. Do not confuse longevity with knowledge. I've known quite a few umpires who have worked for a few years that were much better than some who have had 20 "first years".

As you move on, learn the real rules at the national level. It is much easier to adjust to local rules that the other way around. As you travel through the umpire communities, you will find quite a few people believe the rules they use are the "official" rules as those are the only ones they have learned locally. Unfortunately, many local associations develop local rules and levels of enforcement.

Good luck in your endeavors.

 

[marriard]

Be choosy over to whom you listen. Do not confuse longevity with knowledge. I've known quite a few umpires who have worked for a few years that were much better than some who have had 20 "first years".

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is good advice.

There a few things I believe you should be looking for in 'good umpires' - the number one is that they have done the work to gain their understanding of the game, understand proper mechanics and have spent time on game management. Here are some of the things I look for:

- Umpires every game - no matter what level - to the best of their ability. Whether it is a 10U rec game or a D1 college game, the players deserve your best effort.
- CORE rule knowledge. Look through this forum and the same topics come up again and again - what is/isn't appealable, what is/isn't a foul ball, what is/isn't interference and obstruction, how does DP/FLEX work
- CAN"T believe ANY of the COMMON MYTHS. If any one you work with believes 'the hands are part of the bat' or 'tie goes to the runner'. you can stop listening to them right then. If you haven't bothered to learn these things, what else do you just skate by on.
- VALUE APPEARANCE over UMPIRING. We have a few local guys who REALLY care about their uniform. And you should. But not to the detriment of actually umpiring.
- RARELY have issues. I have umpired multiple sports over way too many years. Great execution of your role/Game Management is important. You have to be confident, make strong calls, have polite discussions with sometimes not-polite coaches, etc, etc - and there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. It is also a lot of avoiding situations that can turn quickly.
- MOVE WELL and INTO GOOD POSITION and COMMUNICATE.
- NEVER, EVER throw their partner under the bus - even if they are having a bad day. That doesn't mean I won't help when asked if they ask for more info - but it does mean things like not commenting on their strike zone to to others as the base umpire or offer an opinion on a call without being asked by my partner (I had one partner tell the coach they should have appealed a call I made at the plate - it was the last time I did a game with him)

Also as an umpire - Rule #1: Don't make stuff up. Don't make a call you can't explain. It either happened or it didn't. Don't make a rule up - apply what you know and make your call. If I didn't see it, it didn't happen - I don't assume something did. For example - if I say there was a tag, you better believe I saw contact.

 

[mmeece]

Great advice. Thanks!

 

[4KidsDad]

Curious... why "NON PATENT leather belt"?

Personal opinion or...?

 

[Coachkat]

Curious... why "NON PATENT leather belt"?

Personal opinion or...?

I assume same reason we do for girls so you can leave belt in pants to wash.


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[texasheat]

Question for the umps on here. Do you guys ever tell a coach that you missed one? We're human beings and human beings make mistakes. Even umpires. I have always thought that if i umpired and missed a call, I would believe in full transparency and tell the coach that I missed it but maybe that isn't a good idea? I would think it might reduce the frustration level of the coach if you just admit the mistake and everyone can move on but maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way. Is there a policy in place regarding this or just left up to the individual umpire?

 

[marriard]

Curious... why "NON PATENT leather belt"?
Personal opinion or...?

Part of the uniform accepted standard for High School and College in my area. You wear a gloss(patent) belt, you will get dinged on your assessments and you can miss out on getting assigned the better games. As the rulebooks/umpire manuals normally just say 'Black Belt', other areas may differ, but watching on TV is does not appear to be the case.

A couple of the local assigners are militant about umpire uniforms - right color ball bags, right type of belt, correct color undershirts, polished shoes, etc, etc. I totally agree that the umpires should look 'smart' but it costs a small fortune when you umpire cross multiple sanctions - I have 3 different color ball bags, 2 hats for every sanction (plate and base), multiple color shirts with logos for each sanction plus multiple shirts without logos for use occasionally, various colored jackets with and without logos, a collection of dry-fit undershirts and so on. Some umpires also do baseball so they double what I have. Some sanctions will then change their logo or shirt style and expect you to buy the new shirts. Add in buying your equipment, regularly replacing or upgrading equipment and uniforms and it is not cheap.