Softball
Slap-Hitters and Bunters Force You To Think Outside The Box
With first base only 60 feet away from home plate in softball compared to 90 in baseball, the left-handed slap hit is a major...
How to Get the Infield Fly Rule Right Every Time
One of the more difficult situations in softball are those involving the infield fly rule. While all the codes agree on when the rule...
8 Pre-Pitch Planning Points Every Softball Umpire Should Know
With each batter and before every pitch, umpires must do some pre-pitch planning. Where do I go on a hit to the outfield? A hit to...
Softball Umpire Pregame Preparation: Set Your Crew Up for Success
Pregame preparation is one of the simplest ways softball umpires can improve game management, crew communication and consistency. Here’s what to cover before the...
5 Tips for the Tag Play at the Plate
Atag play at the plate is among the most exciting plays in softball. The decision the umpire renders on a close play at home...
When and How to Give the Count
One of the most important jobs for softball umpires is game management. And one of the most overlooked aspects of game management is giving...
7 Reasons Why Communication With Your Partner Pays Off
The words “requires excellent communication skills” are part of virtually every job description in today’s market, to the point where they’ve become meaningless jargon....
Handling Tough Situations on Difficult Pitches
One of the toughest jobs for a softball umpire is ruling on inside pitches. There is a lot happening at once and there are a lot of moving...
Adjustments for Better Look at the Plate
Any fast-pitch softball umpire is familiar with the slot position when working a game as the plate umpire: assuming a heel-toe stance behind the catcher, aligned slightly inside the...
First Base Barricade
Obstruction is a common occurrence in softball. It happens most often at home plate as catchers try to prevent a runner from scoring. However,...
Slot Machine
The most important job in a game, and often the most difficult, is calling an accurate strike zone. In order to be accurate, you...
Leap Into the New Year
At its recent annual council meeting in Oklahoma City, USA Softball voted to adopt several new rule changes for the 2022 season. The most...
Chasing Higher-Level Games
When I was eight years old, my cousin and I always looked forward to the circus coming to town. The troupe would have a...
Be Careful Using Other Sports to Explain Softball Rules
No-calls are common to officiating in all sports. Sometimes it’s advantageous to use examples from other sports to explain softball rules and plays. Unfortunately,...
Does Your Partner Get the ‘Point’?
We often think we are communicating well with our partners, when we really aren’t. Good communication is the key for a successful umpiring team.
The...
Keep a Watchful Eye on Baserunners Into Bags
Any time there is a close play at a base, umpires have a lot to focus on. This is especially true when there is...
Flex Your Mental Muscles
"Coach, do you have any changes?” Be honest. How many of you dread asking this question during the pregame conference? We know the most...
Keep it Between Us
Some unseen things that go on before, during and after a softball game would really surprise the casual or even rabid fan.
First is the...
Four Tips for One-Umpire Mechanics
It’s not news that budgets for athletic programs, especially in recreation and intramural leagues, have had to be tightened. Often the first items trimmed...
Step On the Field and Handle Your Business Like a Boss
A
fellow brother in blue, who passed away much too soon, had a mantra he used both in life and on the field. That mantra...
Know When to Use the ‘Sell’
As novice or veteran umpires, we all look forward to the exciting catch, tag or play at the plate that has us standing in...
Watch The Hands, Please
"Ariddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.”
While Winston Churchill certainly wasn’t describing the actions in a softball game when he made this famous...
When Two Umpires Converge on the Same Base
Many of us who have been umpiring for a number of years have seen the situation in which one umpire is dutifully making his...
What’s Your Angle?
Although most umpires would prefer working in crews of three or four, the two-umpire system, if used properly, actually provides for good coverage in...
