| Baseball coaches and umpires often have a love | | | | seen the better the game will be. Let the kids get |
| hate relationship. Coaches often make the job of | | | | the glory!" |
| an umpire more difficult. Umpires sometimes hurt | | | | 5 Things Umpires Expect of Coaches |
| the feelings of a coach with a crucial call. Coaches | | | | 1. Display Promptness - Coaches should do |
| expect a high level of professionalism from the | | | | everything in their power to arrive at the game |
| umpires in the crew working a game. Umpires | | | | with ample time to prepare for the game and to |
| expect a high level of professionalism from the | | | | begin the game on time. Coaches should be ready |
| coaches of both teams. Here I outline 5 things | | | | to start team warm-up on time. Coaches should |
| coaches expect of umpires and 5 things umpires | | | | turn their line-ups in on time. Coaches should |
| expect of coaches: | | | | appear at the pregame plate conference on time. |
| 5 Things Coaches Expect from Umpires | | | | Making the other coaches and umpires wait on |
| 1. Work Hard - The coach expects the umpire to | | | | you is a show of disrespect and lack of |
| move and work to get in the correct position to | | | | professionalism. |
| make every call. Coaches understand that | | | | 2. Show Respect - "Blue and Ump" are not our |
| occasionally an umpire will be slow getting to a | | | | names. You were introduced to the umpire at the |
| "call spot" but a lazy umpire that is always out of | | | | pregame conference. Common courtesy is to call |
| position is going to hear about it from the coach. | | | | the umpires by their name when communicating |
| Coaches expect the members of the umpire | | | | with them. |
| crew to work and earn their money. | | | | 3. Work Hard - Coach your players. Do what is |
| 2. Listen Attentively - If a coach come out to | | | | acceptable coaching behavior. But do not be too |
| discuss a call and does so in a respectful manner, | | | | theatrical or try to put on a show. Remember |
| listen to his concerns. Do not be "bull-headed" and | | | | why the people come to watch the game. |
| refuse to listen. Coaches know that there is little | | | | 4. Keep Your Team Hustling - Have your team |
| or no chance that you will change the call. But, if | | | | hustle on and off the field. Do anything you can |
| you made a mistake, be man enough to | | | | do to help move the game along faster. Have |
| respectfully listen and hear point of view of the | | | | your on-deck batter retrieve foul balls or dead |
| coach. | | | | passed balls. This allows the catcher and umpire to |
| 3. Show Courtesy - Being a total jerk is not a | | | | stay in the boxes and keep the game moving. |
| requirement of the umpire profession. You can call | | | | Delaying the game with needless chatter or |
| the game and still be polite and communicate with | | | | timeouts is not going to help your cause. Work |
| both coaches. The umpire that shows one coach | | | | hard at coaching your kids. |
| more attention than the other is asking for | | | | 5. Do Not Be a Nagger - Coaches that constantly |
| trouble. Be friendly but firm in your actions. | | | | nag or grip about every call, every pitch, or every |
| 4. Show Maturity - Do Not Gain Glory at the | | | | action taken by the umpire are wasting their |
| Expense of a the expense of the feelings of a | | | | energy. If you grip about every call, regardless of |
| coach or player. There is no place in the game of | | | | how close or how insignificant the call is, you are |
| baseball for umpires that go on the field looking | | | | being a bad role model for your players. What |
| for victims. Kids are kids, Coaches are coaches. | | | | does a coach gain by questioning every call in a |
| Umpires should be umpires. Never say | | | | game? I would say absolutely nothing. If the |
| inappropriate things to a player under your breath. | | | | coach keeps gripping, the umpires are going to |
| Be mature in your actions and remember that | | | | "tune the coach out" sooner or later and close |
| your actions have long lasting effects on the | | | | their ears to everything coming out of his dug |
| players that you communicate with. | | | | out. Then when the coach has a legitimate reason |
| 5. Never Show Boat - People come to the | | | | to question a call, his words go unheard. Coaches |
| baseball field for one reason. That reason is to | | | | should only question a call when it is a crucial call |
| watch two teams of kids play the game. People | | | | that significantly affects the game. Questioning |
| do not come to watch you umpire. An old coach | | | | every pitch call by saying clever things to your |
| once told me and I will always remember the | | | | catcher is also inappropriate. |
| following saying, "Kid remember, they do not | | | | I hope that you found this article to be interesting |
| come to watch you coach...they do not come to | | | | and informative. I really appreciate you taking the |
| watch him umpire...they come to watch the kids | | | | time to read it. |
| play a game. The less you and that umpire are | | | | |