Softball
Digging Out of a Slump at the Plate
Even the best ballplayers go into slumps. A hard-hitting batter is suddenly “popping them up.” A dominant pitcher “loses the strike zone.” An ace...
It’s in the Bag
Is your softball bag or automobile trunk of gear packed for the season ahead? If so, are items easy to locate? It can be...
8 Points for Pre-Pitch Planning
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...
Strike First With Slow-Pitch Pitchers
One topic that garners a lot of discussion among baseball umpires is whether or not you should describe pitches for pitchers. That discussion also depends a great deal...
50 Percent Better in 45 Minutes
Do you want to be a 50 percent better umpire in 45 minutes? It’s all right here and my unique techniques are easy to...
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...
Preventing Umpire Interference
The umpiring crew must be sure the playing field and other conditions are safe to start the game and all conditions remain safe throughout...
Tips On Staying Present
As an umpire, even we get nervous once and a while or you start to focus on a previous play. Maybe as the field umpire, your mind...
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...
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...
