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May 29, 2015
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You have to understand that SOMEONE has to umpire these rec league games. While the pay is the same as an 18U National Qualifier, or a "showcase tournament", many experienced umpires don't want to be bothered with them. So those games end up with inexperienced umps, or worse yet, bad umps. No different than a comment made in another thread about "know nothing" moms and dads coaching these 8U teams. If they didn't volunteer, there'd be no 8U teams for your kids to play on.

This is precisely why 8u games should not have umpires. The rules are so messed up that they do not teach “new” umpires worthwhile mechanics and habits. I’m not saying that there is nothing to learn from those games, but at the level of those umpires the things they should be learning aren’t there.

More experienced umpires do shy away from those games. When I started, I swore I would not do that. A game is a game is a game and they all deserve my best. That was then ... Now I do not feel that 8u is even close to being proper softball/baseball and I won’t do it.

And no, SOMEONE doesn’t have to. 8u is about learning fundamentals, not win-loss records and trophies. It’s an excuse for the tournament to justify charging you way too much money.
 
Jun 7, 2019
170
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This is precisely why 8u games should not have umpires. The rules are so messed up that they do not teach “new” umpires worthwhile mechanics and habits. I’m not saying that there is nothing to learn from those games, but at the level of those umpires the things they should be learning aren’t there.

More experienced umpires do shy away from those games. When I started, I swore I would not do that. A game is a game is a game and they all deserve my best. That was then ... Now I do not feel that 8u is even close to being proper softball/baseball and I won’t do it.

And no, SOMEONE doesn’t have to. 8u is about learning fundamentals, not win-loss records and trophies. It’s an excuse for the tournament to justify charging you way too much money.

I AGREE! 100%! 8U should NOT assign umpires! I apologize for not making myself clear. I was referring to the fact that if your league has decided to have umpires, as was the case in the post, then someone has to do them. And they're not likely to be good. Even with 10U, which should have umpires, you're likely to get less experienced umps.

I just finished helping coach my granddaughter's 8U team. We never had an umpire. Coach pitch, plenty of pitches to the batters who had real trouble contacting the ball, and we called our own safe/out plays. All about trying to give the kids some positive feedback so they stay with the game.
 
Mar 28, 2014
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we protested, they made phone calls held the game up for 15 minutes. They stood the rule. Next day, the ump came out their with his chest all puffed out, trying to (lay the law down) before the game even started. He was out for blood against us before the game even started. Part of the problem that weekend was he was umping with his girlfriend who was terrible and i think she got booted from umping that game.
protested an 8u game? No wonder you have bad umpires, no good ones want to ump a 8u game that people take so seriously they will hold the game up for 15 minutes to protest. Sorry to say but ultimately, your team and those like it are the ones to blame for your poor umpires. It's a snowball effect. 8u teams complain all game long, Umpires get worse, 8u teams complain more, umpires get even harder to find..... and the cycle repeats itself over and over and over. Stop protesting and complaining about calls and watch the quality of your umpires go up.
 
Feb 13, 2015
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I think 8u should be played without umpires, but....

If you have umpires, how is failing to protest a misapplied rule going to make that umpire better? If you understand a proper protest, not arguing calls, you should always protest when rules are called wrong if you want better officiating.

That said, I would, also, hate to lose the game time it takes to protest.

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Mar 28, 2014
1,081
113
I think 8u should be played without umpires, but....

If you have umpires, how is failing to protest a misapplied rule going to make that umpire better? If you understand a proper protest, not arguing calls, you should always protest when rules are called wrong if you want better officiating.

That said, I would, also, hate to lose the game time it takes to protest.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
is your goal to make umpires better by protesting every misapplied rule?
 
Feb 13, 2015
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is your goal to make umpires better by protesting every misapplied rule?
If they don't know they are applying the rule incorrectly, what will help them learn to do it properly?

Yes, the protest is a valid way to help an umpire get better. Otherwise, they could make the same mistake repeatedly.

And, a protest is only for when an umpire insists upon misapplying a rule.
You first ask for clarification on a call and only protest if you firmly believe the rule was not applied correctly.

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Last edited:
Feb 3, 2011
1,880
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This is 8u rec ball. Finish the game, then politely request a brief convo with the umpire who made the call. Have your rule book ready. If the umpire agrees to chat with you, quickly state what you observed and your interpretation of how the rule should have been applied. It's not an argument, debate, or discussion. If they ask for the reference, show them the book. Then present your formal critique to the UIC.

10u? Everything changes......
 
Jun 7, 2019
170
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I believe that umpires get better by working 2 man games. The senior umpire can make corrections concerning field position, timing of calls, and all sorts of helpful tips. Any newbie umping 8U who's getting yelled at and protested is more likely to leave umpiring than to learn and grow from it
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
I think 8u should be played without umpires, but....

If you have umpires, how is failing to protest a misapplied rule going to make that umpire better? If you understand a proper protest, not arguing calls, you should always protest when rules are called wrong if you want better officiating.

That said, I would, also, hate to lose the game time it takes to protest.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

Hang on a second, I have to put my a-hole face on for a moment (and then I will buy you a beer to show it’s not personal).

Wow. Did you really just say that!? In a public place!? With a straight face!?

“It’s not about you blue! Except this time. I’m doing this for your own benefit and personal growth.”
 
Last edited:
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
I believe that umpires get better by working 2 man games. The senior umpire can make corrections concerning field position, timing of calls, and all sorts of helpful tips. Any newbie umping 8U who's getting yelled at and protested is more likely to leave umpiring than to learn and grow from it

More illustration of why new umpires should NEVER be working 8u. As I said, it does not even come close to resembling what an umpire needs to be working on.

PS — in the 15 minutes wasted on that, they actually lost track of three players. Two were found on the playground past the centerfield fence. The third was found the next morning by the mailman. Somehow the kid got stuck in Mrs. O’Malley’s mailbox, two blocks over. Lesson here: 8u should always be played on a completely fenced in field. Not because it has anything to do with the game, but just to keep the little buggers from free-ranging it. Before you dismiss this, part of that story is true and happened to me the first year I coached.
 

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