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Striving to Improve
As appeared in the August 2004 edition of Between The Lines.
Striving to Improve
| by Gary Skjervan, Level V, Saskatchewan |
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We have all heard and been told that we must continue to improve. How many times have we said to ourselves, "I won't do that again," or, "I like that mechanic"?
When we start out in this hobby, we concentrate on the basics. We learn very quickly that the players, coaches and fans expect us to get the basic four right every time (ball, strike, safe and out). As time passes we become increasingly confident and the basics become routine and we start to react to plays and situations. It is at this point that we must push ourselves to improve and learn.
The greatest learning comes from always surrounding yourself with experienced people. To accomplish this you must:
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Attend clinics with an attitude of learning (not just "because I have to"). These clinics are designed to concentrate on the basics and offer some helpful tips that will come in handy in a game situation. |
| 2) |
Ask to work games with higher level fellow umpires. You will have the opportunity to experience on-field mentoring as well as get first hand experience of "game control." |
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Take the opportunity to watch these experienced umpires work games. This will give you the opportunity to see the experienced umpires as they react to varying situations. Watch the mechanics, positioning and game control. After the game is over and the umpires are away from the participants, ask them why they did what they did. These live situations may come up in your game and you will have the experience to come back to. |
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Insist on being supervised. Any opportunity you have of receiving supervision is a real plus. Take these supervisions as a learning opportunity and not as criticism. Take the suggestions and try them. You will be surprised at how many actually improve your game. |
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Increase the caliber of ball you umpire. As your abilities and comforts increase you will want to continue to umpire a higher level of ball. This will generally place you on the diamond with more experienced coaches and players. With this in mind you will need to ensure that you are ready to take the next step and it is advisable to take this step along with a higher level official. |
The best advice I received was to have fun.
TIP OF THE DAY:
It is hard to make the call, if you can't see the ball.
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