pre-requistes for good umpiring
TRANSCRIPT
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UMPIRE
MANUAL
CHAPTER 1
PRE REQUISITES FOR GOO UMPIRING
Successful
um pires posses certain comm on quali t ies. They include:
• A thorough knowledge of the rules
•
Effective
com munication ski lls: both verbal and listening
• Effective game managem ent, self control, and a current knowledge of ASA
mechanics.
In short, there is no substitute for game experience. The quality of judgment is only
achieved
through lessons learned
in
game situations.
The
game
of softball
demands hustle
at all
times
by
every
umpire. Athletes
who
play
the
game
o f
softball work hard
o n
conditioning
to
perform
a t a
peak level, umpires
should too, Successful umpires have
to
achieve physical fitness prior
to the
start
of
the season to be able to move at the player's speed. R ules study and experience
won't
cover up for an
umpire that
is out of position
because they
are not fit
enough
to
match
the movement of the players.
ELEMENTS
OF A
SUCCESSFUL UMPIRE:
• Professional
Appearance
- a clean,
pressed
ASA
uniform with shoes
shined, Official ASA cap, ball bag, indicator, plate brush and appropriate
protective equipment for the game being played. A professional appearance
should
be a
habit
you
never break.
•
Communications:
0 Always be business-like and professional when com municating with
anyone about
the
game.
0 Support your crew throughout the entire game. If an information
request comes from your partner st ick to the facts and give only the
information requested.
0
When having
a
discussion with
a
manager
or
coach dem onstrate good
listening skills
an d
answer
th e
question directly using
t he
language
from the rulebook.
0 Verbalize loud enough for your partners to hear you when
rotating
to cover plays. Comm unication only wo rks when i t is acknowledge d,
therefore respond to your pa rtner so that they
know
that they
have
been heard.
• Conditioning: Maintaining
a
good level
o f
f i tness
not
only helps
an um-
pire's
mov ement but also improves
their ability
to maintain focus throughout j
the
game.
• Game Management: Comes from leading by example. If you want players
to hustle on and off of the field then you should hustle to your next posit ion
at the end of the
inning.
Us e
preventive umpiring techniques
to
handle little
problems such as equipment
left
on the field or ball players bantering, "Nip
it" early an d avoid problems later.
Judgment: Can be best described in the saying "umpiring judgment is
mainly experience salted with coo l headed comm on sen se." It takes years
to
develop go od judgment. Umpires earn
the
respect
of the
players
by
the way we render decisions. Umpires should keep a tight reign on their
temperament
an d
remember that
no
provocation,
not
even
a
physical
at-
tack, should cause an umpire to lose sight of their primary responsibility
- keeping the
game
under
control.
The
players will relax
and
trust
the
good
judgment
of the
umpire
if the
call makes sense. Calls that don't make sense
put players on edge and are
cause
for question. To
develop
good
judgment
umpires should take time
to
learn
the
common sense application
of the
rules during game situations.
Mechanics:
They are the backbone of umpiring. The ASA National Umpire
Staff spends
a
large am ount
of
time developing effective mechanics
d e-
signed to give every umpire the best opportunity to judge each play. Plate
mechanics begin with calling balls
and
strikes
and end
with
the
required
movement by an umpire to complete their other
duties.
This
includes
the
elements
o f
stance,
the set
position,
calling the
pitch
a nd
movement from
the plate when required. Base mechanics
begin with the
fundamentals
of
positioning followed
b y
timing, judgment, signals
and a
verbal call. Umpires
should work
on
improving their mechanics d uring every game.
Positioning: Equals
credibility.
Every umpire must
b e a
"student
of the
game" to prepare for every situation that may occur during a game. Suc-
cessful umpiring requires complete concentration, full energies and undi-
vided attention from
the
first pitch
to the
last
out of
each game.
A
current
knowledge
of ASA
mechanics will place
you in the
proper position
to
umpire
each play successfully.
Rule Knowledge: I s essential for successful umpiring. To develop a
complete knowledge
of the
rules each umpire should study their rulebook
regularly
and
attend Local
and
Regional Rules Clinics
a s
well
as a
National
Umpire School. Umpires
who are
com mitted
to
becoming
th e
very best
should attend
the
Advanced Cam ps offered
in
both Slow Pitch
and
Fast
Pitch.
Timing: Is essential for believable umpiring. A call made b efore th e umpire
has seen the "whole play can be a mistake. A call made after an extended
delay
is
often viewed
as a
lack
o f
confidence
in the
call
by the umpire.
Calls made too
quick
or too late have the same effect on
ball
players...NOT
BELIEVABLE Good t iming is equally important on the bases and at the
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UMPIRE M NU L
plate.
A
successful umpire
will
allow themselves
to see the
whole pitch
or
the
whole play, then after
a
slight hesitation, make
the
call.
DIFFICULT
SITUATIONS
• Appeal plays require a thorough knowedge of the rule. An appeal play is a
unique part of the game
initiated
by the offended team.
Appeals include:
1.
Batting out of
order
A
runner
missing a
base
or touching the
wrong portion
of the double
base
if a
play
is
being made
3 Attempting
to
advance
to 2B
after overrunning
1B
4
A
base runner leaving
too
soon
on a
caught
fly
ball
Appeals
may be
made:
A
During a live
ball
or dead
ball
B
Prior to the next pitch
C
Before the defense has left the field
D. Before the umpires leave the field at the end of the game.
• Ejections:
happen when
an
umpire removes
a participant
from
the
game.
The ejected person must leave the
field
and have no contact wth other
participants or umpires. The plate umpire will not restart the game until the
ejected participant has been removed. Explain the time frame to the manag-
er and let them handle the situation.
The
ejected
participant should be
allowed
to
return
for the
next game
un-
less they have physically attacked
an
umpire. When working with
a
partner,
remember that the ejecting umpire's duties are finished when the ejection
occurs. It is now time for the partner to step in and remove the ejected
participant
from the field and out of the park.
• Forfeits: are a no win situation. If working with a partner(s) always consult
the crew before declaring forfeit. All umpires can declare a forfeit, but be
sure
to
exhaust every
option
before
arriving at the decision. Although the
rule book allows the
umpire
to rule a forfeit if the ejected
participant
is not
removed
in one
minute
use
good judgment. Pulling
a
watch only antago-
nizes all concerned.
• Protests: happen when a team member doesn't understand the
ruling
the
umpire just made. An umpire's top
priority
is to get the
call right.
Once a
protest is
filed,
notification must be given to the opposing coach
prior
to
the next pitch. In Championship play a Protest Committee will convene to
r n r a decision before the next pitch. If the protest is upheld the game will
resume from the point the protest was filed.