That's my point. Umpires get so upset when coaches argue balls and strikes, but they cause it by making balls and strikes a judgment call. They should be trained better in knowing what to look for on each kind of pitch and it should be automatic at this point on what a strike is. They put all these rules in to make sure coaches don't get out of line with umpires, but they don't put the same effort into making sure umpires are more qualified. These coaches get judged on wins and losses which can be decided by one bad call.

 

Can you list "all the rules they put in" for the coaches? And where you got the absolute of "they don't put the effort into making sure"

 

Train them on what to look for on each pitch? Because every pitcher throws every pitch the same way, the all "break" the same distance etc etc???

 

They need to put some effort into the ones they have. We need an oversight committee, and a way for these umpires to get better every year. They do that with coaches. An oversight committee will give coaches a place to voice concerns. Right now, all they have is an assigning secretary, which is pointless. Just "scratching" someone doesn't help the situation. A committee can hold these guys accountable, they can have a convention every year to find new ways to get better, and it will also cut down on "on-field" confrontation because coaches will know they have a place to go if something isn't right.

 

Who is going to organize an oversight committee? Is their not already a Board of Controls? How is the committee gonna hold guys accountable? Go to games and sit behind the plate and evaluate someone's judgement. Who organizes a convention? What new ways are they going to find? So there are ways out there that umpires aren't aware of?

 

Finally I believe the 9th is paid $59 dollars a game. Don't just take the game time and come back with that's $30 an hour on average. I would guess for most they have 4 hours time invested in the game so your looking at $14.75 in time invested. Then you purchase and maintain all your equipment on your dime. Will the oversite committee adjust pay scale?

They need to put some effort into the ones they have. We need an oversight committee, and a way for these umpires to get better every year. They do that with coaches. An oversight committee will give coaches a place to voice concerns. Right now, all they have is an assigning secretary, which is pointless. Just "scratching" someone doesn't help the situation. A committee can hold these guys accountable, they can have a convention every year to find new ways to get better, and it will also cut down on "on-field" confrontation because coaches will know they have a place to go if something isn't right.

 

Officials are held accountable. The assignors go out and review the umpires work and constructive feedback is always welcome from the coaches to the assignor.

 

Officials in all HS sports are required to attend a certain number of training/meetings in the offseason. They are required to take the state provided tests regarding the rules and view mandatory online clinics from the state. Officials in most sports also have the opportunity to attend clinics in the off season on their own dime to continue to improve.

 

Coaches also have the opportunity to rank officials at the end of every season. Those rankings play a large part in who works postseason. The interesting part of that is how low the percentage of coaches actually send in their rankings. Different in every sport and every association but it is consistently a lower number than you would anticipate.

 

In addition to an officials real job and other family commitments where do you propose everyone finds the time for your additional training and conventions? I don't know of anyone who is getting rich officiating high school sports.

 

Easy to toss around words like "oversight committee" and "accountability" but what is a real life solution?

Officials are held accountable. The assignors go out and review the umpires work and constructive feedback is always welcome from the coaches to the assignor.

 

Officials in all HS sports are required to attend a certain number of training/meetings in the offseason. They are required to take the state provided tests regarding the rules and view mandatory online clinics from the state. Officials in most sports also have the opportunity to attend clinics in the off season on their own dime to continue to improve.

 

Coaches also have the opportunity to rank officials at the end of every season. Those rankings play a large part in who works postseason. The interesting part of that is how low the percentage of coaches actually send in their rankings. Different in every sport and every association but it is consistently a lower number than you would anticipate.

 

In addition to an officials real job and other family commitments where do you propose everyone finds the time for your additional training and conventions? I don't know of anyone who is getting rich officiating high school sports.

 

Easy to toss around words like "oversight committee" and "accountability" but what is a real life solution?

 

I agree with everything you say except the bolded. The good ole' boy network is alive and well when it comes to who gets assigned to postseason in some associations.

Can you list "all the rules they put in" for the coaches? And where you got the absolute of "they don't put the effort into making sure"

 

Train them on what to look for on each pitch? Because every pitcher throws every pitch the same way, the all "break" the same distance etc etc???

 

 

 

Who is going to organize an oversight committee? Is their not already a Board of Controls? How is the committee gonna hold guys accountable? Go to games and sit behind the plate and evaluate someone's judgement. Who organizes a convention? What new ways are they going to find? So there are ways out there that umpires aren't aware of?

 

Finally I believe the 9th is paid $59 dollars a game. Don't just take the game time and come back with that's $30 an hour on average. I would guess for most they have 4 hours time invested in the game so your looking at $14.75 in time invested. Then you purchase and maintain all your equipment on your dime. Will the oversite committee adjust pay scale?

 

An official can make $120+ in one night doing varsity/JV. So if he works most nights and weekends during the season he is bringing in $800+ A week. Coaches make around $.50/hour when you average everything out and they still find time to go to conventions and trainings. They can organize those things the same way every organization does. Your attitude is why the officiating in this sport has gotten significantly worse over time. I'm also not sure where some of you guys got your information, but the officials in KY do not go to clinics or trainings and I challenge you to prove me otherwise. I have had several umpires tell me they haven't done anything since their initial test to become an umpire.

An official can make $120+ in one night doing varsity/JV. So if he works most nights and weekends during the season he is bringing in $800+ A week. Coaches make around $.50/hour when you average everything out and they still find time to go to conventions and trainings. They can organize those things the same way every organization does. Your attitude is why the officiating in this sport has gotten significantly worse over time. I'm also not sure where some of you guys got your information, but the officials in KY do not go to clinics or trainings and I challenge you to prove me otherwise. I have had several umpires tell me they haven't done anything since their initial test to become an umpire.

 

Challenge accepted: I am married to an official who is off to camp next week. He goes to a significant # of clinics each year for both basketball and softball. He doesn't get paid to attend; in fact, he has pay a fee to attend some. Some are required by the associations he is a member of; some are just him trying to get better.

An official can make $120+ in one night doing varsity/JV. So if he works most nights and weekends during the season he is bringing in $800+ A week. Coaches make around $.50/hour when you average everything out and they still find time to go to conventions and trainings. They can organize those things the same way every organization does. Your attitude is why the officiating in this sport has gotten significantly worse over time. I'm also not sure where some of you guys got your information, but the officials in KY do not go to clinics or trainings and I challenge you to prove me otherwise. I have had several umpires tell me they haven't done anything since their initial test to become an umpire.

 

You are so off base if you think people work a full time job and then can be gone every week night doing two games and then spend all weekend away doing games as well. That's just delusional! Also if that were the case that might explain job performance. There is not one official bringing in anywhere close to $800 a week....seriously!?!

 

ALSO you didn't answer one question I asked??? Hmm wonder why that is?

Challenge accepted: I am married to an official who is off to camp next week. He goes to a significant # of clinics each year for both basketball and softball. He doesn't get paid to attend; in fact, he has pay a fee to attend some. Some are required by the associations he is a member of; some are just him trying to get better.

I stand corrected. He is definitely a rare breed in KY. He should be an example to the rest.

You are so off base if you think people work a full time job and then can be gone every week night doing two games and then spend all weekend away doing games as well. That's just delusional! Also if that were the case that might explain job performance. There is not one official bringing in anywhere close to $800 a week....seriously!?!

 

I'm sorry I am wrong on that. However, I've seen their checks, and 98% of all officials in our region work atleast 5-6 days a week during the season. So if you do the math. Five days, 7-inning game and 5-inning game each night, $120+ for each night, and that equals $720 for 6-days and $600 for 5. Sometimes they can make more with tournaments and things like that and then you add in summer and travel ball, and their supplemental income is pretty good. So it wouldn't be hard for an official to make $15K/year of supplemental income compared to a couple thousand for coaches. The training for coaches is much more significant too.

An official can make $120+ in one night doing varsity/JV. So if he works most nights and weekends during the season he is bringing in $800+ A week. Coaches make around $.50/hour when you average everything out and they still find time to go to conventions and trainings. They can organize those things the same way every organization does. Your attitude is why the officiating in this sport has gotten significantly worse over time. I'm also not sure where some of you guys got your information, but the officials in KY do not go to clinics or trainings and I challenge you to prove me otherwise. I have had several umpires tell me they haven't done anything since their initial test to become an umpire.

 

Pardon the pun but you are just lobbing up softballs here.....

 

Every official who is working a high school sport in Kentucky is required to belong to that sports association within that region. Each association holds a certain number of meetings/training that you are required to attend to stay in good standing. If you are not in good standing you are not getting games.

 

If you are not taking the Part 2 test annually you are probably not moving up with your organization within that sport and will definitely not be doing post season.

 

Even a first year official who has just taken the Part 1 test is required to join the local association and attend meetings/training before they are assigned games.

You are so off base if you think people work a full time job and then can be gone every week night doing two games and then spend all weekend away doing games as well. That's just delusional! Also if that were the case that might explain job performance. There is not one official bringing in anywhere close to $800 a week....seriously!?!

 

ALSO you didn't answer one question I asked??? Hmm wonder why that is?

 

I'm sorry I didn't realize you wanted those answers.

 

They are always adjusting rules for how coaches approach umpires and I agree with all of them. I don't think it's a good example for the kids and it's not the way to teach them to resolve conflict. The only time I ever get involved is if I think one of my players need to be "taken-up for." One rule is how they addressed the assistant coaches being able to argue, which they can't now. If they are thrown out then the head coach is also punished. So they put the head coach in charge of controlling his staff which is correctly done. I agree with the rule.

 

As far as the other things you mentioned, the strike zone should not change. Each hitter should know where a strike is and what is a ball. They are taught this at an early age. Regardless of what kind of pitch is being thrown or the movement it has, it still should always fall in the same perimeters in order to be called a strike. There shouldn't be different perimeters.

Pardon the pun but you are just lobbing up softballs here.....

 

Every official who is working a high school sport in Kentucky is required to belong to that sports association within that region. Each association holds a certain number of meetings/training that you are required to attend to stay in good standing. If you are not in good standing you are not getting games.

 

If you are not taking the Part 2 test annually you are probably not moving up with your organization within that sport and will definitely not be doing post season.

 

Even a first year official who has just taken the Part 1 test is required to join the local association and attend meetings/training before they are assigned games.

 

What is the organization? I've never heard of a local one.

I'm sorry I am wrong on that. However, I've seen their checks, and 98% of all officials in our region work atleast 5-6 days a week during the season. So if you do the math. Five days, 7-inning game and 5-inning game each night, $120+ for each night, and that equals $720 for 6-days and $600 for 5. Sometimes they can make more with tournaments and things like that and then you add in summer and travel ball, and their supplemental income is pretty good. So it wouldn't be hard for an official to make $15K/year of supplemental income compared to a couple thousand for coaches. The training for coaches is much more significant too.

 

I still don't agree that people are working full time jobs and then working 5-6 nights a week and cannot believe in any baseball season anyone is pulling in anywhere near $15,000. Then you are vague with "a couple thousand" for coaches. So a head baseball coach is only making $2,000 a year?

I still don't agree that people are working full time jobs and then working 5-6 nights a week and cannot believe in any baseball season anyone is pulling in anywhere near $15,000. Then you are vague with "a couple thousand" for coaches. So a head baseball coach is only making $2,000 a year?

 

I would say whichever assistant coach has been there the longest would get $2K but head coach on average probably will see around $5k. The most I've ever heard in Ky was at a private school in Louisville and that was $10k. So you can only imagine what the football guy made.

 

I'm also saying in the course of the summer and taking on fall ball as well would get you $15K, but not just from March - May.

You're just throwing out numbers and statements that have no merit-

 

*No training of officials

*98% in your region work 5-6 nights plus weekends

* $120 a night

* Coaches make .50 an hour

* Some are making $15,000 a season

* Coaches make $ 2,000 season

* Several told me.....therefore no one does

* One poster gives concrete evidence of training of an official, you define that as rare

* Rules are always changing on how coaches can approach an official....still haven't stated the rule

* No accountability of officials

 

I could go on but I won't. You also stated in one of your post quoting me "that my attitude is why officiating is continually getting worse". I would say this entire discussion is why no one wants to become an official in any sport and why it is FACT that the numbers are declining and no one wants to get into the officiating business.

You're just throwing out numbers and statements that have no merit-

 

*No training of officials

*98% in your region work 5-6 nights plus weekends

* $120 a night

* Coaches make .50 an hour

* Some are making $15,000 a season

* Coaches make $ 2,000 season

* Several told me.....therefore no one does

* One poster gives concrete evidence of training of an official, you define that as rare

* Rules are always changing on how coaches can approach an official....still haven't stated the rule

* No accountability of officials

 

I could go on but I won't. You also stated in one of your post quoting me "that my attitude is why officiating is continually getting worse". I would say this entire discussion is why no one wants to become an official in any sport and why it is FACT that the numbers are declining and no one wants to get into the officiating business.

 

I actually did state your rule and everything you listed is absolutely true. So I appreciate you listing it for me.

 

Explain for me what happens when someone wants to complain about an official? Where do they go? I'm not talking about the assigning secretary because they have no authority. All they do is tell them where to go. You still haven't given me the name of the local organization umpires belong to? How does an umpire get held accountable when there is nobody to call? That's why altercations happen on the field. That's the only thing I've been attempting to say.