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...
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...
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...
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...
The Difference Between Preventive Umpiring and Coaching
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here tends to be a debate among umpires regarding what should and should not be brought to the attention of coaches when it comes...
Don’t Take A Pass On Interference Calls
How often have you heard the following called out during your softball officiating career: “Break up the double play,” or “Blue, she’s got to slide!” As an umpire,...
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...
Trouble Area
The last half of the distance from home plate to first base is one of the biggest trouble areas in softball. To stay on...
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...
Atypical Interference is More Than Just Runners
There have been many articles written about interference, but most predominantly cover runner interference. The other acts of interference that may be perpetrated by the offensive team are team personnel...
Check This Out
The NFHS Softball Rules Committee approved a handful of rules changes for the 2017-18 school year, but two in particular — allowing intentional walks...
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...
In ‘Crews’ Control
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here is nothing more beautiful in softball umpiring than watching a crew work together to cover the diamond. When it is a well-oiled machine,...
Great Position – Great Look – Great Call
Great Position, Great Look, Great Call
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lthough most umpires would prefer working in crews of three or four, the two-umpire system, if used properly, actually...
Scrutiny on Player Safety Increasing in Softball
Over the years, the NCAA has done many things to try to protect players and prevent injuries. But I have had a couple of...
A Quarrelling Quandary
"B
lue, where was that?”
If you have not heard this question at least a hundred times, you’re probably still in your first year as an...
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...
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...
No Hedge on the Wedge
As today’s players become quicker, faster and stronger, and as rules adapt, so must umpire mechanics. The wedge mechanic allows the umpire to be...
Game-Time Decisions
By Rick Woelfel
Watching an NCAA Division I crew at work is akin to attending an umpiring seminar. I was afforded that opportunity in late...
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...
Getting the Ruling Right Isn’t a Travesty
One of the “catch-all” rules in softball refers to “making a travesty of the game.” That was put in place to take care of those players who try...
An Inside Job
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ne of the toughest jobs for a softball umpire is ruling on inside pitches. There is a lot happening at once and there are...
