Softball
Infield Fly Factors
An infield fly situation includes many variables for umpires to take into consideration. The wind or sun affects the calling of the infield fly....
Tag, You’re It
It’s been said location is the most crucial thing in real estate. It could be argued it is the same when it comes to...
Step On the Field and Handle Your Business Like a Boss
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fellow brother in blue, who passed away much too soon, had a mantra he used both in life and on the field. That mantra...
Making Amends After a Blown Call
It’s a terrible feeling. You’ve blown a call. You know it. Your partner may or may not know it. What’s worse, the blown call...
Make Your Move
When it comes to adjudicating plays at the plate in softball, the one-size-fits-all philosophy no longer works. Every play is dynamic and no two...
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...
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...
Southpaw Catcher Surprise
As you arrive at the diamond for a day of calling balls and strikes, nothing seems unusual. You go through pregame rituals, put the...
Lineup Logistics
During the course of a game, and a season, a lot of things can go wrong when it comes to lineup cards. One of...
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...
Let’s Go Camping
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s the majority of spring sport seasons never got off the ground, many umpires didn’t have the chance to hone their skills and work...
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...
Unsolicited Advice
From the very first camp that any official attends, what phrase is always uttered by clinicians and coordinators? “Get the call right!”
In 2018, that...
Step-By-Step Focus
The pause, read and react technique has been used for many years. Some associations call that process, wait, interpret, choose. Others coin it, read,...
No Lollygagging
One of the largest complaints from softball umpires is games take too long. And while we can’t control the score, whether a pitcher throws...
A Mathematical Dive Into the Strike Zone
The softball strike zone has not changed for a long time; it is still the zone explicitly described in the rules for each softball code. There are slight...
Collision Decision
Collisions on the basepaths are not a routine occurrence in fast-pitch softball, so it is important for umpires to prepare for scenarios that can...
Obstruction Deduction
Umpires are tasked with making thousands of split-second decisions over the course of their careers. Some of those calls are obvious, while others aren’t...
Going Out in Style?
More than half of the time while working the bases in fast pitch, you’ll be setting up in position A down the right-field foul...
Softball Leaders Give Advice on Making the Most of Your Camp Experience
In 2020, many umpires didn’t have the chance to hone their skills and work on new ones developed in the offseason. As a new...
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...
A Pre-Pitch Checklist For Maximum Performance
An old British Army adage known as the “7 P Rule” originated during World War II. The gist of the rule is that proper prior planning prevents poor...
In the ‘Try Right Zone’
The plate umpire in fast-pitch softball faces the demanding task of making split-second rulings hundreds of times each game, regardless of the competition level....
Rules Take Many Arguments Out of the Game
There’s a nationwide shortage of officials. It’s gotten harder in all sports to get and keep officials, and softball is no exception. Criticism from...
