The following submissions are from
Umpires in our province who were
selected to attend a Western or Canadian
Championship this year.
Read All About It!
Softball Saskatchewan Umpire's:
I had a great year, I was privileged enough to be sent to two championships,
Western Master Men's in Hay River NWT and U18 Ladies Canadians
Championships in PEI!!!
My Western Master Men's was great, the teams were very good, the crowds were
very large (1500 people there to watch the final) and the home team won, Hay
River!! Hay River flew in ISC pitcher Richard Haldane of Great Britain!! He pitched
the final and I did the gold metal plate!!
My other championship was U18 Ladies Canadians in Charlottetown PEI, it was
awesome. This was my first Canadian Championship so I was a little nervous, but I
got over it quickly!! There were 22 teams and 18 umpires, I worked 18 games in
total and learned a lot. It was a great experience, and I worked the bronze metal
plate, where I had to eject a coach for unsportsmanlike conduct!! I was fortunate
enough to obtain my level 4!! I thought this was the highlight of my career, but
looking back I was wrong!!!
The highlight of my career was working with a former player who has now started
to umpire!!! She is my daughter Madison, to work games with her was the
highlight of my career!!! To watch her walk onto the diamond with the same poise
and composure as her father and have to make tough calls and stand by them and
take heat from a coach and not back down was awesome!!!
I got to work with a lot of great umpires this year from all over the country!!! But
none better than the ones in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan!!! It was a hard year I
did over 260 games of all levels!!! It was great, I enjoyed every minute of
it!!!😀😀😀😀
Thanks all who I got the pleasure of working with this past year!!! Can't wait for
next year!!!
Thanks again!!! MikeKosteniuk
I got the opportunity to go to
Montreal for the U16
Canadians. IT WAS A
BLAST! Our UIC's (Doug
Webster, Joyce Bellini, and
Diego La Manna) were amazing
and extremely supportive and
helpful. Over the course of a
week, I made some new friends
across the country and got to
participate in some great
ball. Throughout the week our
team spent almost every waking
minute together. From eating
meals, watching the 'Jays on
television and doing laundry
every night, our team became
extremely close even though
there were some language
barriers. By the end of the week
we were pretty much a family
and for our last supper we had a
"good o'l fashion" cook
out. Each of us had gotten a
nickname, from something we
had said or done, from the week
prior and in good spirits our
"supper planners" decided to buy
us a trinket related to it. Over all
it was a blast, and I can't wait for
my next one!
An Experience I’ll Never Forget
Scott Carroll
I remember the day I received the email about being selected to go to the Under 16 Boys National
Championships in Owen Sound, Ontario. I was sitting at work reading the email and I was in awe at the
opportunity presented to me since I have only been umpiring fastball for 2 years. Immediately I looked at my
calendar and began talking with my family to see how we could make this happen. As a husband and father
of three children I knew this would be a sacrifice for all of us as it meant taking vacation and being away from
them right in the middle of summer. After individual discussions and a family meeting we all agreed that this
was too good of an opportunity for me to pass up, even though the children were slightly hesitant as they
knew they’d miss me greatly.
Shortly after this the communications began to inform me what I would need to take and be prepared and
then finalize the dates and plans to make my way to Owen Sound. After much planning and anticipation, the
day finally came. When I arrived in Toronto I was warmly greeted by our driver and I connected with other
Softball Canada staff who were also traveling in the same car. I was nervous, excited and felt very blessed to
be in such a position and I was feeling thankful for all of the other great umpires in Moose Jaw who poured
into me to help me develop and prepare.
The first night changed everything. I met the UIC (Tim Whitelaw) and DUIC Rob Straetmans and they made
feel me at ease. I started a week long process of making some new friends and learned so much during the
week through a great crew who really wanted to work together and do the best they could for the players,
coaches and fans.
Overall it was an amazing week and an experience I’ll never forget. Most of all we were encouraged to have
fun and do the best we could which took the pressure but deep down inside I knew I wanted to make the
“blue crew” proud to work with me.
Throughout the tournament I learned so much through the game supervisions, through feedback from fellow
umpires and even the fans helped me out with a few tips… haha. I left these National Championships with
new friends, a fresh appreciation for the game and as a way better umpire.
I cannot say enough about how this experience has prepared me and got me excited to get behind the plate
or on the bases next season so I can go out every game and apply what I have learned. I’ve come to realize
that every game I do, no matter the level, that if give 100% I will be a better umpire, stay crisp and above all
give the kids what they deserve…the best I can give for the game of fastball.
The Senior B Westerns in Abbotsford was a "training ground event" where I was provided an opportunity to
reinvent myself as an umpire. After day one, and upon being critiqued by supervisor,s I learned there were a
number of on the field umpire presentation mechanics that I needed to incorporate into my game to meet the
Softball Canada standard. On the "plate" the supervisors were happy with my cadence/timing for calling
pitches, advised that my foot positioning was good and recognized that my past experience as an official
exemplified professional conduct.
However they brought it to my attention that on the plate:
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I needed to set up with my ear on the inside edge of the plate and not my nose;
I needed to set up with my eyes at the top of the strike zone;
I needed to make my strike "hammer" off to the side as opposed to infront of me; and
I needed to sit more than lean over in my set up.
On the bases again the timing was good and general positioning with the three man system was good but:
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I needed to stop stepping towards catcher when the pitch was delivered to the catcher;
I needed to stop putting my hands on my hips between pitches or when standing on the foul line between
innings;
I needed to stop and stand tall when making a call on the bases instead of setting up with hands on my knees
to make a call; and
again I needed to make out calls with hammer to the side instead of 45%.
So for a long time "baseball umpire" there was a challenge before me....either learn to perform as a softball
umpire with proper mechanics and show the supervisors that I could do this job or be stubborn and stay the
course with my old ways.So I actually took the time to practice the hammer call in between games in front of
a mirror!!... and on day two and three, really thought about the other mechanics while on field while making
calls.
On the plate setting up further inside and often lower than what was normal for me (in baseball it was chin at
top of catchers head as opposed to eyes at top of zone) was a bit uncomfortable at first but I saw the benefits
given that I was further inside. Signaling strike was the piece I had practiced prior to games and so I adopted
that measure into my game.
On the bases I worked hard at remaining stationary when setting up on 1st or 3rd and slapped my own hands
when I went to put my hands on my hips! The supervisors noticed that I made a strong attempt to change my
umpiring mechanics and posture and provided me with a very good final evaluation.
My take away from this is that when we host level III and IV clinics in Saskatchewan there needs to be an
emphasis on "mechanics instruction". Supervisors or umpire peers need to be critiquing umpires about their
umpiring skills...especially on the plate!! Rules sessions are ok but our umpires should come to the clininc
with an understanding of the rules....the emphasis should be on how do you look on the field and how well
do you perform because you are performing your job right!
Thanks for the opportunity to share my experience and how we should make the best of our time when
teaching umpires how to be successful.
Terry Schneider
Thank you to all the umpires in Saskatchewan for your
dedication to the game and willingness to continue to
umpire. Without you, the game simply could not be played!