[golfer30]

I got to see some regional tournaments in the 14 and 15 regions. The officiating was very poor. Where are the officials like they had in the past.

[baseball1974]

Good quality officials are down across the state. Some of the more professional, experienced umpires are in western Kentucky, but there is a serious issue across the state. I understand why though. When you know every time you do a game(even in summer)that you're going to get beat up on, then why would you? They're not paid enough to take that and they're not supported by anyone to head-off those situations. When your assigning secretary takes a coach's word over one of your umpires right off the bat, it's going to cause problems. Therefore, officials are not going to take their job seriously when they have no support and get paid peanuts. It should have gotten better after they imposed sanctions on coaches for their behavior, but it didn't. So you now you have a bunch of umpires that never played the game and need to be seen. All the good umpires know it's not worth it anymore so now you are left with what you got. It'll only get worse unless the "good ol' boy" way of doing things in the officiating world is fixed. There has to be an independent governing body that monitors all situations with officials. Right now they have no where to go for support or a place for changes to be made. I can tell you from experience, if a head coach doesn't have support from his administration or a place for them to go, then their days are numbered, and he's going to leave first chance he gets. Things have to change because an inconsistent umpire can completely change the outcome of a game. Even though coaches tell players "the umpire is not why we lost," in a lot of cases that is absolutely true. It's gotten to a point in some regions that an umpire will go to the chief umpire for clarification and before you know it you find out that neither one of them know the rules or what's going on half the time. I watched a 10th region game this year where the catcher asked the ump behind the plate to check the batters swing. So the ump behind the plate looked down the first base line and asked the umpire behind first base. The ump at first didn't even acknowledge someone was talking to him. So the behind the plate ump asked again, and this time he perked up and said "HUH?" So he asked him again and the ump at first said,"oh oh I don't think he went" and gave the "safe" sign. I couldn't believe it. It was amazing to watch. I know it's bad in eastern ky but don't think the rest of the state is much better. I hope a solution is made.

[Elite Eagle]

I believe if your officiating by the "good ole boy" ways than you should be fined by the state because coaches have been trying to influence calls for years. Be a man and make the call!!

[Craze JACKET man]

13th is really good... Some of the best in state..

[KHSAA Blue]

Good quality officials are down across the state. Some of the more professional, experienced umpires are in western Kentucky, but there is a serious issue across the state. I understand why though. When you know every time you do a game(even in summer)that you're going to get beat up on, then why would you? They're not paid enough to take that and they're not supported by anyone to head-off those situations. When your assigning secretary takes a coach's word over one of your umpires right off the bat, it's going to cause problems. Therefore, officials are not going to take their job seriously when they have no support and get paid peanuts. It should have gotten better after they imposed sanctions on coaches for their behavior, but it didn't. So you now you have a bunch of umpires that never played the game and need to be seen. All the good umpires know it's not worth it anymore so now you are left with what you got. It'll only get worse unless the "good ol' boy" way of doing things in the officiating world is fixed. There has to be an independent governing body that monitors all situations with officials. Right now they have no where to go for support or a place for changes to be made. I can tell you from experience, if a head coach doesn't have support from his administration or a place for them to go, then their days are numbered, and he's going to leave first chance he gets. Things have to change because an inconsistent umpire can completely change the outcome of a game. Even though coaches tell players "the umpire is not why we lost," in a lot of cases that is absolutely true. It's gotten to a point in some regions that an umpire will go to the chief umpire for clarification and before you know it you find out that neither one of them know the rules or what's going on half the time. I watched a 10th region game this year where the catcher asked the ump behind the plate to check the batters swing. So the ump behind the plate looked down the first base line and asked the umpire behind first base. The ump at first didn't even acknowledge someone was talking to him. So the behind the plate ump asked again, and this time he perked up and said "HUH?" So he asked him again and the ump at first said,"oh oh I don't think he went" and gave the "safe" sign. I couldn't believe it. It was amazing to watch. I know it's bad in eastern ky but don't think the rest of the state is much better. I hope a solution is made.

:Thumbs:

[Gambler]

It is bad every where at all levels in every sport.

[Fattyfatpat]

[quote=baseball1974] They're not paid enough to take that and they're not supported by anyone to head-off those situations. When your assigning secretary takes a coach's word over one of your umpires right off the bat, it's going to cause problems.

They are paid over $100(105 I believe) a night to do varsity and JV, and in JV they only play 3 runs 3 outs in most all cases. This lasts maybe 45min. to an hour. Usually 2 1/2 to 3 hours tops in the 14th, that's $35-$42 an hour plus one usually gets mileage. That's a lot better pay than most jobs in Eastern Ky. The main problem is most umpires with the exception of a select few, don't do anything outside calling their games to aid them in becoming a better umpire. Professional development, videos, camps, etc... The good umpires in the region work outside the games to get better and it shows.
It is a tough job every call you make makes 50% of the crowd mad. But if you want to improve just like players and coaches you have to work outside game nights. You can call 4-5 nights a week so $400-$500+ a week for 8 weeks plus post season. That's more than a lot of baseball coaches make.
Umpires, and referees have very hard jobs and I respect them for doing it but again they have to do things to improve their game and careers just like every job. Its a position where your going to be criticized and every move critiqued by many people who don't know a lot themselves(fans mostly). I personally could never call a game and respect those that do.

[baseball1974]

[quote=baseball1974] They're not paid enough to take that and they're not supported by anyone to head-off those situations. When your assigning secretary takes a coach's word over one of your umpires right off the bat, it's going to cause problems.

They are paid over $100(105 I believe) a night to do varsity and JV, and in JV they only play 3 runs 3 outs in most all cases. This lasts maybe 45min. to an hour. Usually 2 1/2 to 3 hours tops in the 14th, that's $35-$42 an hour plus one usually gets mileage. That's a lot better pay than most jobs in Eastern Ky. The main problem is most umpires with the exception of a select few, don't do anything outside calling their games to aid them in becoming a better umpire. Professional development, videos, camps, etc... The good umpires in the region work outside the games to get better and it shows.
It is a tough job every call you make makes 50% of the crowd mad. But if you want to improve just like players and coaches you have to work outside game nights. You can call 4-5 nights a week so $400-$500+ a week for 8 weeks plus post season. That's more than a lot of baseball coaches make.
Umpires, and referees have very hard jobs and I respect them for doing it but again they have to do things to improve their game and careers just like every job. Its a position where your going to be criticized and every move critiqued by many people who don't know a lot themselves(fans mostly). I personally could never call a game and respect those that do.

Unless things have drastically changed in the past couple years, I don't know of any umpires getting that amount of money? If they were getting that then things would be a lot different, and the amount of guys umpiring that know the game would be in much higher numbers. Also, your idea of working on their craft outside of the games is a great point, but tell me how Ky umpires can do that? I can go tell a player to work on his swing, but if I don't give him a bat to use it's pointless. KHSAA does NOT provide resources in order for this to happen, and if they are able to find something like that, it comes out of their own pocket. That is nice in theory, but in KY, at this time, it's not reality.

[Craze JACKET man]

Gambler, I'm telling you that the 13th region has some of the best in State..several of them call college ball..

[Fattyfatpat]

[quote=Fattyfatpat]


Unless things have drastically changed in the past couple years, I don't know of any umpires getting that amount of money? If they were getting that then things would be a lot different, and the amount of guys umpiring that know the game would be in much higher numbers. Also, your idea of working on their craft outside of the games is a great point, but tell me how Ky umpires can do that? I can go tell a player to work on his swing, but if I don't give him a bat to use it's pointless. KHSAA does NOT provide resources in order for this to happen, and if they are able to find something like that, it comes out of their own pocket. That is nice in theory, but in KY, at this time, it's not reality.

The amount of pay is regulated by each region and the 14th pays 105 for a JV and Varsity DH. I ask a friend of mine who umpires and that is the number he gave me. He also said he calls at least 4 nights a week and some weeks as many as six counting Saturday games. Its not that hard to find ways to improve as an umpire. As for the professional development many of our lower end officials could even benefit from watching videos which are all over this thing they call the internet or even something as simple as studying the rules and their interpretations. If you just give a kid a bat and tell him to 'work on his swing' he is not going to be a good hitter. He has to be taught what a good swing is then apply the info.

[baseball1974]

$100 for two games I understand.

[baseball1974]

$100 for two games I understand. I misunderstood where that number was for two games. Of course, anyone can find things online or stuff like that to watch, but I can never understand why they don't have a governing body over these guys. I know when it comes to having an issue that somebody will step in. However, there isn't any type of evaluation process for these guys. When you play a sport the evaluation comes with wins or losses. How are they suppose to know if what they are doing is correct or things of that nature if there isn't a process or committee doing so? Having that type of organization will solve all of those issues. They can put them in training and extra instruction if needed. They can evaluate games at all levels. They can make sure the qualifications are truly being met and every game scenario that is possible is covered extensively. Their reputations shouldn't be decided on by the coaches of the teams they are officiating. That's insane to me, because every "bang-bang" play makes one mad and one happy. There is no way to objectively evaluate these guys without a committee. A coach being able to pick the umpires he wants should not be the process and that is a very unhealthy process. The way it is set up now the officials must cater to certain people in order to be able to be considered to umpire the post season. That should be decided on by a committee of some sort that has been evaluating these officials all year.

[fanof3]

A V / JV DH takes a minimum 3 hours for $100. When you include as long as 1 hour travel you are u to 5 hours but we'll take 4 hours as a compromise. $100 divided by 4 hours = $25 per hour. This doesn't include multiple non reimbursed meeting hours and travel in the off season along with a minimum $500 worth of equipment. Now who's getting rich?

[baseball1974]

A V / JV DH takes a minimum 3 hours for $100. When you include as long as 1 hour travel you are u to 5 hours but we'll take 4 hours as a compromise. $100 divided by 4 hours = $25 per hour. This doesn't include multiple non reimbursed meeting hours and travel in the off season along with a minimum $500 worth of equipment. Now who's getting rich?

Nobody said they're getting rich. However, if they do 4 or 5 games a week, and other sports, that's a pretty descent supplemental income. It's more than some make in a year. If you want to put it in perspective in regards to hourly and things of that nature, an umpire only doing one sport can make more in a month or so than the majority of coaches make for the entire year coaching their respective teams. Unless you want to be fired, you must win. In order to win, you have to have your team practicing and working out 9-10 months out of the year. So personally, I think it's beyond time for all umpires to be caught up and their accountability get much more in-depth. That is where a governing body comes in. I can only imagine how aggravating it is for a good umpire to be calling a game in-which the coaches involved do not know the rules. So just imagine how aggravating it is for coaches when a guy making ten times the amount of money umpiring than you do has no clue what is going, and ends up costing their team a game. I'm not totally blaming the umpires because most of it is not their fault, but some of it is.

[PCYL]

Coaches coach, umpires ump. The two different professions shouldnt have their wages compared. If a coach wants to make money from baseball he can easily quit and choose to umpire.
Almost like saying a nurse makes way less then a Dr. When a nurse usually does more work and spends a lot more time with the patient and at the hospital.

[baseball1974]

Coaches coach, umpires ump. The two different professions shouldnt have their wages compared. If a coach wants to make money from baseball he can easily quit and choose to umpire.
Almost like saying a nurse makes way less then a Dr. When a nurse usually does more work and spends a lot more time with the patient and at the hospital.

You're comparing a coach and an umpire to a nurse and a doctor? Really? That's hilarious. You obviously completely missed what I was saying.

[PCYL]

I just meant comparing what anyone makes should have zero effect on the job they are asked to do. Coaches know what they are going to make before they accept. Same as an official.
I dont think whoever makes more money should determine who should put more effort into their work.