Umpires that "coach" players

[BretMan]

I don't mind an ump pulling a coach aside after a game, or before and giving them the wisdom of his/her experience.

A lot of people might feel that way...as long as they are on the receiving end of the beneficial advice.

What if the umpire is giving his "helpful tips" to your opponent and they use that information to gain a competetive advantage over your team? Maybe you're cool with that, but it's easy to imagine that some people might not be.

If you want to be a coach, then sign up to coach a team. If you want to be an umpire, then you should keep the coaching to yourself. One of the umpire's goals is to remain totally impartial and unbiased. He should avoid anything that even hints at helping one team gain an advantage over another.

 

[tguwarrior]

I officiate wrestling. Depending on the age group you are working with you should be more of a coach than an official. You should be a lot more protective of younger ages too. When they are little I am keeping them in the middle of the mat as much as I can, I'll stop it before they get close to the edge to keep them safe from the floor, the wall, kids on the next mat. I'll help them out with their starting positioning and give out warnings for infractions and explain the proper way to do things. When I'm working a college match they can run head first into a block wall for all I care, and I'm ringing them up for every infraction I see.

I'm not the only one who does it that way. I've seen a guy penalize a 6 year old for locking hands or stalling one weekend and then allow a grown man to spit on him and call him a @%#@%#@^#@ the next....

 

[MTR]

I never paid attention to the 'evenness'. But I talk to the umps to build a good relationship over time and get those strike calls for my pitchers.

Rubbish. If your belief is reality, you don't have umpires working your games.

When another coach who is a friend asks me a question about a strategy, I often tell him or her what I think, can't help it. I don't like winning based on knowing some miniscule rule. I want them to do their best so my players can match and exceed it.

I can't control the umps, so they can tell my player whatever they want. If I don't like, I then have a meeting with the player myself after.

Again, not real umpires

 

[MTR]

????? Why so hostile.

Rubbish is hostile? Get over it.

So none of the umps are real, whatever. For what they get paid (not much), maybe it has been a mirage all my life. I had a very close female friend who was a college ump, so I guess she isn't real. My brother is an ump, guess so for him, too.

Pay attention. Ask you brother or female friend if they "give" strike calls based on a relationship with a coach. If they do, they are not doing the job an umpire is supposed to be doing out there. I don't care how much of an rear or idiot a coach acts, don't care how knowledgeable or friendly the coach is or is not, it should not affect the manner in which an umpire calls the game.

And, IMO, those who determine their calls based on anything other than what is in front of them, that is not a real umpire.

 

[marriard]

With some of the younger age groups, the technicalities of the game sometimes need to be explained to younger players during the game - especially pitchers.

For example, a first year 10U team with newer pitchers need to understand things like two feet must be on the rubber, once to the gloves, presentation, etc, etc... All I ever ask of an umpire is that if he want to talk to the player to explain something that he calls me or one of the coaches over so I am part of the conversation. That way my player has her coach (i.e. someone she is used to listening to) there in support - not just an umpire she doesn't know talking to her and there is also a coach there to make sure what the umpire is saying is in fact true. After the umpire has finished talking I generally have a chat to my player to make sure she understands what was said.

So while I would never want an umpire talking about batting, fielding or pitching technique during a game I am more than open to a rules discussion - especially technicalities.

 

[Quake Softball]

????? Why so hostile.

For what they get paid (not much),

$30 for 75 mins of work isn't alot of money???

 

[MTR]

$30 for 75 mins of work isn't alot of money???

All depends on where you are standing. Many SP umpires in the NE get $27-$40 (excluding the Metro NYC area) for 65 games. BTW, 75 min complete FP games are not the standard. I know it happens, but it certainly isn't the norm.

 

[Quake Softball]

All depends on where you are standing. Many SP umpires in the NE get $27-$40 (excluding the Metro NYC area) for 65 games. BTW, 75 min complete FP games are not the standard. I know it happens, but it certainly isn't the norm.

I was referring to the normal 75 min time limit used in tournaments in my area. $30 equals $24/hr that is pretty good money.

 

[BretMan]

It would be great money if it was your full-time job and you were getting eight hours every day, five days a week!

That would tend to offset the gas I use to drive to and from a single game, the $375 worth of protective gear and uniforms I have to wear to step on the field and the couple of hundred I spend every year on registration fees and clinics.

But, yeah, it does put enough in your pocket for a couple of Mickey D's and a few cold ones!

 

[quincy]

I have not figured that out yet.

Most the umpires are there because they enjoy being there, those I understand because that is why I am there too.

A few are there for some reason I have not been able to understand, I am not sure if it is the money or being in control of everything.