By Ken Enderley
(This article was written shortly after the pandemic and has been slightly updated)
This writer had experienced the high school vetting process before the 2020 worldwide pandemic. So, I was expecting something more when the season finally started. The fact that I was assigned to high school freshman and JV games at the time was a bit unsettling. Don’t get me wrong, I am very confident in my abilities to call a game. Heck, I officiated college showcase games in the past by myself and I had a great experience. However, those games had no bearing on standings or records. These high school games do, so why only one umpire? I have my thoughts about it, so you draw your own conclusions.
THE EVALUATION GAME
Regardless of experience, when you join an umpire association, you still have to show your wares on the diamond. Even if you are vetted or highly recommended by a friend/colleague. My evaluation game was a varsity game, two umpires with the head assigner present to check you out. Of course it was a non-paid game because there were more than one umpires being looked at. The other umpires and I were evaluated on our base and plate mechanics. We all passed. The head assigner gave me some pointers as to how he wanted me to stand in the “B” and “C” positions. According to him, my plate work and game management were spot on!
FIRST ASSIGNMENT
My first paid assignment was a JV game in late April with a 42 degree temperature at game time. Even with the wind coming off the Harlem River in the Bronx, Roberto Clemente State Park is a beautiful facility. However, because of the covid restrictions, the park was closed to the general public.
I was solo for that game and all my subsequent assignments that Spring. You definitely have to hustle when you’re solo to get into position to make your calls. Making a call at second base on a straight steal is not going to endear you to the coach. Especially, when the call went against him. Not an easy mechanic to:
- Call the pitch.
- Clear the catcher and batter.
- And then make a call on a play 127 feet 3/8 inches away from home plate.
Now I do have 20/15 vision distance wise. And, of course, the third base coach sees the play better than you. He’s only 90 feet away. “Blue you have to do better than that!” the coach said as he walked back to his dugout. Under my umpire and face mask (covid remember) I retorted “Well pay for two umpires instead of one.” So if coaches know this, why bust chops? I guess they have to. Remember, high school coaches are a different breed. Yeah Right!!
KNOW THE RULES
We as umpires have to know the rules for the levels that we officiate. According to those umpires who have been around the high school diamond, the coaches know the rules. Um, in my humble opinion, that’s a big fat “NO!” I came prepared with my “cheat sheet” and my 2020 NFHS rule book. Not a 2021 rule book because nothing really changed since the “lockdown’. The new DH rule (a test question by the way) was a no brainer. I had to explain that one to a coach before the game. Another rule was the live ball appeal. A coach said that I ruled incorrectly when the opposing team’s left fielder threw the ball to third base to get the runner who had left early on the fly ball. I deftly explained, ” No coach, it is a live ball appeal, and the team does not have to call time out”. Oh Boy!
TRY SOMETHING ONCE
There is an old saying “Try something once.” Well that depends on what it is. Use your imagination here. I always wanted to umpire at the high school level, and I did just that that Spring. I enjoyed the experience, and the money was good, but it’s not what it’s cracked up to be! Just remember that coaches can be full of themselves no matter what level you officiate. Some coaches do know the game and respect what we do as umpires. Then there are coaches that are just fill-ins. They’re not great, they’re not terrible, but we just need them. And then there are other coaches, however, should not be allowed to coach on any level. Period!
Remember, no matter how far you go, at some point you’re going to hear, “WHERE WAS IT BLUE!”
Ken Enderley began umpiring when he was thirteen years old. He’s been a volunteer LL umpire, since 2001, in Rockland County, NY and joined the Rockland ASA chapter in 2006. His continuing knowledge of baseball and softball rules as well as umpire mechanics has enabled him to teach both adult and youth umpires. Ken is currently Co-Director of the Lower Hudson Valley Umpire Association. You can follow them on Instagram at lhvua.