Field Etiquette/Game Management “What does that Mean?”

Game Management Skills are the mental and physical aspects that we as umpires approach each game that we officiate.

These skills are very important if an Umpire wants to be the best that he/she can be and is very important as you umpire higher level games in Little League Baseball. As Umpires we hope that players / Coaches and families can have a positive and fun experience at their Little League games.

For experience umpires, these skills are always being honed and applied.

“Game Management” covers the umpire’s:

AttitudeField Presence Professionalism

Communications CredibilityGame Awareness

Fitness Team Officiating Game / Time Organization

Common Sense

Many of these skill sets will overlap.

Game Management begins at your home preparing to go to the field to Umpire:

By Polishing your shoes

Ironing your pants and shirt

Choosing your color of your under shirt and umpire shirt

What division level are you umpiring

What umpire skill set you will focus / improve on during the game

Athletic Appearance is an important aspect of the umpire.

If you look like an athlete, it helps gain respect.

If you’re small, you must make up for this with your mannerisms. If you’re overweight, you must make up for this with hustle.

If you’re timid, you must make up for this with confidence and courage in making calls.

Professionalism

You must look and act like an umpire.

How you walk onto the field at the beginning of the game.

The signals you give.

Your attitude and mannerisms during confrontations.

Be on time to all games.

Field Presence

Starts with your dress and appearance when they first walk on the field.

Your mannerism used while checking equipment and in addressing the pre-game managers meeting.

Your positions between innings, and the positions taken prior to a pitch and for every call.

Hustle when moving to make a call, the signals used (both verbally and arm).

Communications skills used with players, coaches, and partners. A quick, concise, and courteous response will soon gain the coach’s confidence.

Attitude:

Your disposition, communication with players, coaches, and partners.

Your approach used and outlook for each situation

Your mannerism followed, and demeanor.

Your attitude – good or bad – affects all people at the game to have fun and a positive experience.

If you’re an umpire that places all others below you, and you feel that you’re the only one who knows what’s going on. This attitude “Cockiness” is usually dislike and challenged with little support and people wait for you to make a mistake.

When involved in confrontations, your mannerism used in listening, body language and responding to questions should be positive, rather than a negative

How do you change your attitude?

By becoming more tolerant or understanding of others, and to respect the role of others in the game.

Team Officiating:

Your other umpires on the field is the third team on the field.

Good communication and teamwork is required to be successful along with clean rotations and complete umpire coverage.

Game Awareness:

As an Umpire your ability to both think like a ballplayer and a coach, to anticipate game situations to be in proper position to make the call.

Credibility

This is what Umpire strive for.

Umpires should have purposeful movement, reflect an assurance that you know exactly what you are doing in the game.

Umpires need to gain RESPECT! Not expect RESPECT.

This is achieved by using proper Game Management Skills and this is from continuous hard work and time preparing yourself for each game you umpire.

Game / Time Organization

Arrive early enough to game site to prepare yourself and partner.

Pre-Game with partner.

Walk field, with partner, if not familiar with conditions (Holes in fence, gaps around gates, trees hanging over field, etc.)

Check equipment and medical releases.

Be at plate 10 minutes prior to scheduled game start time.

DO NOT give a rules clinic during managers' pre-game meeting.

Discuss information needed to get game underway. Both teams need to give you a line-up card.

Have both pledges done.

First time a pitcher is on mound 8 warm-up pitches / 60 sec between innings pitches. Next inning four and down for warm-up pitches. Watch for a catcher being ready to warm-up

pitcher, if not ready get a sub to warm-up pitcher.

DO NOT mingle with the fans, coaches, players or managers between inning. What is happening on the field is top priority.

Plate umpire busy, have base umpire watch and count warm-up pitchers.

Keep enough baseballs in ball bags to be able to provide a new ball to pitcher if ball goes foul or off field of play.

Have manager give all substitutions to Plate Umpire. Write them down, using line-up card, as they are given.

Hustle, Hustle, Hustle and Have FUN!!!

Quito Little League / 1