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A
Message from our
Director of Training & Umpire Development
There is a major flaw in the way we teach baseball to our kids. I have been involved in recreational baseball for over a quarter-century and I continue to see it year after year. Not only have I seen it, I contributed to it in my early years of managing and umpiring. The flaw is that collectively, we teach baseball differently each day.
As managers and umpires, we do the best we can with the resources we have, but there is the weak link. We all draw on our personal exposure to the sport; we tend to use the rules “we grew up with” as our knowledge base. Consider the vast number of different “house rules” that people may have grown-up with and you begin to understand why you experience different rulings from game to game. (Visit our Fact or Fiction Quiz to see how your baseball knowledge compares to the rule book.)
Program leaders often get so weighed down with organizational and administrative problems that quality issues, such as training, get misplaced. The other side of the coin is that program volunteers often consider training a waste of time. (I frequently encounter the “hey, I already know baseball” attitude.) Correcting this flaw requires more than just a review of the rule book, it requires a good understanding of basic rules and their interpretations. Yes, baseball rules are complex but they can be tamed. We can at least establish what you have to know and teach you how the learn everything else. Even the guys who already know baseball. get to know a lot more.
The following is an excerpt from my training presentation, (planned to be in printed form soon), it just seems so appropriate here. “... when an umpire applies a rule incorrectly and it is accepted, everyone present has now been taught a mistake. Everyone will carry and spread that mistake until the rule is encountered again and ruled on differently. Then, from that point on, only confusion will exist.”
As someone who has come through the ranks of recreation baseball, I understand the objectives and the problems. As Director of Training and Umpire Development, I offer ways to create a solid knowledge base in your program. My hope is that one-day youth games everywhere will be played with a uniform understanding of the rules.
Mark Swiss
Director of Training and Umpire Development
(2004)
Early in my recreation baseball experience, our volunteer umpiring group conducted our first workshop. It was led by one of the more senior members. The hope was to establish a base understanding of the rules and reduce the number of inconsistent rulings our program was experiencing. We found it much easier said than done. You cannot just tell someone (or imply) that his or her view is wrong; you must provide a verified explanation. We were not that advanced, yet.
Over the seasons, we tried different tools. Things got better: we incorporated a rules video, used chalk board diagramming and staged a scrimmage game to provide new umpires with a controlled environment and critique on their first encounter behind the plate. We even started conducting the workshop for other baseball programs.
When I inherited the training program, I reviewed our approach, revamped the curriculum and developed a detailed course outline. I focused on key elements such as definitions of terms and those rules we saw misinterpreted most often. The new structure helped put the workshop on solid ground.
In the early 90's, I enrolled in an umpiring course for high school umpires. The instructors included two minor league umpires that put us through the same training that the major umpiring schools use. We studied the entire rule book, including casebook examples, we probed interpretations, researched the intent of many rules and drilled on professional umpiring mechanics. Not only did my knowledge increase, so did my appetite for any publication on baseball rules or umpiring. Consequently, I have amassed a reference library that provides a comprehensive source for workshop material.
Continuous research and professional instruction has given me the ability to interact with participants, in-depth on any baseball topic, and yes, provide those verified explanations. The training I offer is a planned curriculum that has been crafted and enhanced over two decades. It is presented in a logical order and has received extremely positive feedback from participants; yes, even the guys who “already knew baseball”.
Baseball Rules and Umpiring Workshops
No other recreation umpiring association has a larger commitment to training. We understand recreation baseball and can provide a training program that will give your volunteers the knowledge and confidence they need to handle the upcoming season. We offer workshops for managers and coaches, for teams and volunteer umpires. The material has been developed, enhanced, tweaked and perfected over the years. The feedback on the workshops is very favorable and we can supply references who can tell you how we assisted their program.
To discuss your training needs, call Mark Swiss at (410) 866-8508. Mark is a member of the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) and can be contacted by e-mail at mswiss@naso.org or heyblue@comcast.net. You may click here to initiate an e-mail message now.
Check-out our training offerings:
Baseball Rules for Managers Workshop - Basic rules every manager and coach must know. A simple measure to assure all teams have the same understanding of the rules. This is a requirement that is usually assumed but most often missing-the-mark. Let's teach the kids correctly.
Baseball Rules for Teams Workshop -(new for 2003) Baseball is the thinking man's game. This workshop covers basics that every player should think about and understand. Give your team the winning edge; savvy.
Baseball Rules and Umpiring Workshop - Definitions and rules that every umpire must know. The workshop views the rules from an umpiring perspective and provides the confidence to rule on them instantly. The workshop also includes proper positioning and is based on professional umpiring mechanics but tailored for the single umpire coverage most prevalent in recreational baseball
Baseball Umpiring Certification Program - (in development) A program to allow you to measure your knowledge of baseball rules and how well you can rule on an assortment of game situations. Designed to help you determine whether you are ready to join us (or another local association in your area).
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