First, congrats and thank you to everyone for making it through the craziness of the high school baseball season. Rainouts and last-minute changes can make the season brutal for everyone from assignors down to us. It’s a collaborative job that we do and we’ve done it!
By the time you’re reading this message, Virginia will be about 2 weeks or so away from crowning their state champions and Maryland will have already done so.
If you set a goal for your spring season, I hope you’ve achieved it. If you’ve been assigned your first playoff game, or gotten further in the playoffs than in years past, congrats! If you were assigned your first JV or varsity game this year- well done! If you became a crew chief or moved forward in any other way, kudos to you!
What we do is not easy. It’s technical, physical, mental, and always under scrutiny. Being an umpire gets harder every year and we step up to the “plate” better than most.
As previously mentioned, summer ball is almost upon us and that adds a different focus for us, hydration and our general health in hot/adverse conditions. It is so important for you to prepare properly, your family depends on it! Listen to your body, bring food (in a cooler in your car) and water to your games, and lastly keep an eye on your partner to make sure they’re okay. Nobody wants an ambulance called to their games to give them a ride, trust me…. It’s happened to me!
Summer ball also gives us a chance to work on things: mechanics, game management, and being a good partner. You’ll probably get a chance to work with someone who hasn’t accomplished what you have, so be a good teacher. Give productive feedback, explain the “why behind the what” and help them get better. It will make you better too! We all get better when we help each other.
I remember the feedback and advice given to me and how much it meant to my progression as an official. YOU can positively impact and change the course of someone’s umpire path if you just genuinely help the guy working hard on the field with you. Have their back, give them feedback and go have fun together!
I’ve got nothing else- enjoy your holiday weekend!
Michael Chmar
