May 2013 Make the Right Call ! Washington Officials Association Volume 4 Issue 10 Don’t Resist - Assist by Jeffrey Stern There is an old saying that a ship Be Helpful. The crew chief has between innings. But if you notice cannot have two captains. The plenty on his or her mind. You can something that might help the Special Points of Interest: same is true in officiating. There handle some minor tasks that crew chief, take a moment to can only be one crew chief or normally come under the crew share it. referee. Ultimately the buck stops chief’s purview. Something as If a plate umpire’s stance is too • Ultimately the buck stops with one person. simple as filling out the crew high or too low, adversely affecting with one person. But that doesn’t mean other rosters that are provided to the his or her view of the strike zone, We all have our egos, and officials on the crew can kick back coaches is one less thing with that can be communicated • most if not all of us feel we and let the “lead dog” do all the which the chief needs to be between innings. Note that some are capable of being in heavy lifting. A crew can only concerned. umpires don’t like to be disturbed command. function effectively if everyone If the lead official has to wear a in that way during a game, pitches in and pulls on the same microphone, help him or her however. Don’t nitpick over a pitch • Be active in the pregame, end of the proverbial rope. ensure the equipment is properly or two; save the conversation without overstepping your worn and the wires are untangled. during a game in which you notice It isn’t always easy to be placed in bounds. a subordinate role. It’s especially Be active in the pregame without a pattern. And regardless of sport, don’t initiate a conversation shortly difficult for officials who may be on overstepping your bounds. If the • Ask pertinent questions rather the downside of their career. Not crew chief inadvertently skips an after a close or controversial call. than muddying the waters by so long ago, they were the person important point or is incorrect, be The perception is the non-calling asking how he crew will in charge but now have to take respectful when you offer a official is correcting his or her handle situations that are what they perceive as a step down correction. Ask pertinent questions partner. unlikely to occur. or backward. We all have our rather than muddying the waters If a coach or player is complaining egos, and most if not all of us feel by asking how the crew will handle about calls made by your partner, • If you notice something that we are capable of being in situations that are unlikely to cut them off. It’s likely the might help the crew chief, command. occur. complainer will respond with take a moment to share it. Whether your feelings are bruised Communicate. You can head off something on the order of, “I’m not or not, you owe it to the crew and problems for the crew chief by referring to you,” or, “I’m talking to • Be part of the solution and to the game to give it your best answering questions or passing on my player.” Whether it’s true or not part of the problem. effort. Beyond the obvious - information from coaches. Some not, coaches and players don’t get concentrating on your coverage coaches are under the impression a pass because they are not area, abiding by the approved that assistant referees, linesman, directly addressing the object of mechanics, etc. - here are some wing officials or base umpires their displeasure. ways you can increase your value aren’t empowered to handle some In many sports, the officials have Inside This Issue: to the crew leader. situations. Others seem to think equal authority to make calls, Accept your role. You do no one that nothing is final until the head eject, penalize and carry out their State Baseball: Regionals 2 (least of all yourself) any good by official says it is. duties. But sometimes, someone else has to take command. In moping around feeling sorry for Although there are some situations State Baseball: Finals 2 yourself over something you can’t in which the rules demand that those situations, remember the old control. Your negative attitude can the referee, crew chief, etc., make saying about too many cooks State Softball 3 easily spread to others and lead to a determination, those are rare and occupying the kitchen. Be part of a dismal performance on the field the assistant, base umpire, the solution and not part of the State Soccer 3 or court. linesman, etc., should steer the problem, and no one will end up in the soup. Tough Times Don’t Last 4 Don’t argue or refuse to comply if coach away from the crew chief. (This article can be found in, Referee the crew chief wants things done a Officials have duties and magazine, June 2013.) certain way but he or she is not responsibilities during breaks in exactly sure how you do them. the action such as timeouts or Reprinted with written permission from Referee magazine. For subscription information contact Referee magazine at (800) 733-6100 or www.referee.com 2013 State Tournament Umpires: Baseball - Regionals 4A Regional Tournaments 2A Regional Tournaments 2B Regional Tournaments Mike Hatfield, Northwest Bob Link, Northwest Glenn Campbell, Northwest Lou Davis, Snohomish County Mark Kilpatrick, Snohomish County Don Wood, Skagit Valley Mike Bolf, Western Washington Dane Johnson, Whatcom County Peter Perry, Snohomish Co Mat Allen, Evergreen Brent Howard, Northwest Bill Hughes, Grays Harbor Gary Coy, Northwest Frank O’Dell, South Sound Kyle McCrady, Lower Columbia Brian Strege, Peninsula Carlos Ramos, Western WA Reams Goodloe, Northwest Greg Chafe, Northwest John Basich, Evergreen Clay Hearne, Cen Col Basin Dan Benjamin, South Sound Mark Clough, Northwest Steve Sandman, Chelan County Don Wilcox, Western Washington Rainer Summers, Twin City Shelmarie Moe, Inland Empire Jeff Golding, Inland Empire Chris Elam, Inland Empire Clark Cosby, Inland Empire Bryan Cardinal, KPR Vern Dahl, Northwest Jim Clifford, KPR Carl Ramsey, Yakima Valley Don Fortenberry, Yakima Valley Jordan Bishop, Palouse 3A Regional Tournaments 1A Regional Tournaments 1B Regional Tournaments Aflac Has Landed at Kris Carlstedt, Northwest Peyton Coffin, Northwest Mitch Wasserman, Northwest WOA Richard LeMiux, Snohomish Co Don Wilson, Western Peninsula Bob Matekel, Western Washington AFLAC has designed a web site for officials interested in Tim Osborn, Whatcom County Eric Kelley, Western Washington Erick Holden, Yakima Valley looking into the benefits Scott Guhlke, Northwest Arik Goldsmit, Evergreen Brandon Esparza, Columbia Basin currently being offered to WOA members. Please take Dick Brakefield, Peninsula Bill Lewis, Northwest Bruce Richartz, Colville Valley the time to visit the web site if Bruce Elkington, Western WA Charles Lorenz, South Sound Dennis Romo, Inland Empire you are interested in finding out more about these Tim Hayes, Lower Columbia Josh Nielsen, Columbia Basin options. The web site is: www.aflac.com/woa. Zachary Davies, Northwest Mitch Crowe, KPR Ross Working, Twin City Marc Taylor, Palouse Please contact Steve Pohlman if you would like to Paul Sorensen, Inland Empire Nathan Hahn, Chelan County discuss these options or are Ryan Sorensen, KPR Keith Kladnick, Okanogan County looking for additional information. Steve can be Jeff Gates, Palouse Joseph Spencer, Peninsula reached at 206.310.9981 or [email protected]flac.com 2013 State Tournament Umpires: Baseball - Finals 1B, 2B (Ellensburg) 1A, 2A (Yakima) 3A, 4A (Pasco) Tom Byers, Blue Mountain Kevin Wolfe, Colville Valley Kevin Gawenit, Inland Empire Bruce Shields, Cen Col Basin Craig Brown, Evergreen Marc Hewitt, Lower Columbia Phil Lepper, Western Peninsula Gregory Mitchell, KPR Richard Leetz, Northwest Tony Olague, Western Washington Erik Nilson, Northwest Rainer Summers, Twin City Northwest Baseball Tim O’Brien, Skagit Valley Russ Ratliff, Western Washington Sam Hickenbottom, Snohomish Co Matt Snodgrass, Yakima Valley Photo Courtesy of Dale Garvey 2013 State Tournament Umpires: Softball 1B, 2B Tournament (Yakima) 2A Tournament (Selah) 4A Tournament (Spokane) Vince Robinson, Columbia Basin John Driesen, Central Col Basin Brian Hall, Columbia Basin Bruce Richartz, Colville Valley Richard Moore, Lower Columbia Darrin Leggett, Evergreen Ken Juarez, Grays Harbor Mike Czmowski, Palouse Terry Simmonds, Olympia Marty Palmanteer, Okanogan Co Michael Cavanaugh, Seattle Metro Wallace Chocklon, Seattle Metro Joe Sperry, Palouse Michele Schaab, Seattle Metro Tom Dillon, Seattle Metro Gene Cox, Seattle Metro John Carney, Skagit Valley Don Hough, Seattle Metro Seattle Metro Softball Fredrick Mertens, Snohomish Co Joe Martin, Snohomish County Lou Davis, Snohomish County Photo Courtesy of Dale Garvey Thomas Kirkpatrick, Spokane Carl Durr, Spokane Bill Elston, Spokane Jim Dills, Twin City Jake McChesney, Tri Cities Jake Perry, Spokane Jeff Klundt, Walla Walla Randy Sears, Western Washington Bill Wagner, Tri Cities Ken Cheslik, Western Washington Ron Marshall, Whatcom County Carlos Wright, Western Washington Ken Carson, Yakima Valley Al Patton, Yakima Valley Tim Taylor, Yakima Valley 1A Tournament (Richland) 3A Tournament (Lacey) Graham Grindy, Central Col Basin Scott Webb, Evergreen Randy Beaudry, Evergreen Luke Hair, Lower Columbia Jim Everett, Olympia Larry Vancil, Peninsula Dave Paul, Peninsula Dan Pease, Seattle Metro Dean Fitzsimmons, Seattle Metro John Snyder, Seattle Metro Steve Richardson, Skagit Island Bob Francis, Spokane Susan Chewning, Snohomish Co Arnie Garza, Tri Cities Scott Hofstee, Spokane Paul Mackenzie, Twin City Wade