End of the Regular Season

So our regular season ended last week and I have to admit that I have really enjoyed this season, probably my most enjoyable season since starting some 6 years ago (yes, I'm a spring chicken still.)  I have worked harder on the field this year more than ever, I have worked on my strike zone so it is more consistent than ever and I have thoroughly enjoyed being with the kids.
I remember being at a lot of games up in San Bernardino last year as Steve was one of the umps and I was there supporting him and the whole crew seemed very stiff and nervous to start the tournament, only to loosen up later.  I don't know if I can get that nervous about umpiring.  I want to do a good job, yes.  I want to work as hard as the kids who are going to be playing.  I want to represent Alta Loma, District 71 and the Escarzaga name well but I guess I have my priorities in perspective.  It's a game.  It's a game I love and am so glad that I got back into in this position but the kids are having fun and so am I.
That being said, tomorrow is the All-Star tournament umpire meeting.  Last year our UIC, Dave Burt, took a trip to Europe to do the EMA Junior Regionals, so he was not around for the duration of district here.  That gave a few of us the opportunity to run a district-level tournament last year and staff the umpires.  I had the 10-11 tourney last year.  I enjoyed it and Dave liked the results so much that he has asked us to help him the same way this year.  My tournament will probably be the Intermediate (makes sense as those are the games I'll be working for the most part.)  Most of the tournaments start either next Saturday (June 22) or Monday (June 24) and end around the 10th of July.  Not Intermediate.  We start Wednesday and will be done with the local tournament by June 29, Sectionals start June 30th and end July 3rd.  Sub-Divisions start July 7th - 13th and Divisions are the 14th and 15th.  I have to be in Irvine on the 18th, which for most of the other tournaments, they will barely be starting Sub-Division at that point, so we have to pack a lot into a few days.
Good things for me are that our district is hosting the district (of course) and sectionals for Section 8 so I will definitely be part of that.  The Sub-division and Division finals will be in Riverside so there is a pretty good change I'll have some games there.  Traditionally, if Regional umpires are in the area, they want them to do some of the higher level games to get the butterflies out and get to the high-pressure games.  I'm expecting some really good games in Southern California as a lot of leagues in the area have embraced the Intermediate division, so in reality the So-Cal final may be the best game played in the Intermediate Division in the entire nation, but who really knows.  All I know is that any games I get after July 4th (and even those before so) will be a blast to do.

So before All-Stars starts up fully, I wanted to give some "What happened in my experience this year" updates.
1)  To kick off the year, Steve Bailey, Chris Rohr, Dave Burt and I hosted the kickoff umpire training again.  I really do like training umpires.  Maybe, in time, I may see about helping at some of the outreach clinics and ultimately teaching at the week long in San Bernardino.  In most things I feel like I have a lot to learn still, umpiring included, but I like passing on what I have learned and seeing these guys get better.  There is never enough time to train at the beginning of the year but we try to give them the basics.  It's all we can do and hope they pick up on some of the excitement.
2)  I probably didn't do enough Intermediate games this year.  I did about 12 games in the Intermediate division, about half plate and half field.  It took me a couple of games to get used to being inside the diamond on the field but I ended up getting more comfortable and got my angles more under control as not to straight line to first on the pick-off.
3)  This year our league went back to first and second half champions play for league champion and then a tournament for the Bill Moffitt Cup.  Bill Moffitt was a dear friend and the league president for years before he passed away in March of 2012.  When the end of the season came, we decided to change the name of the Heritage Cup (Heritage Park is where Alta Loma Little League plays) to the Bill Moffitt Memorial Cup.  I found it touching and proper.  So anyways, during the Moffitt Cup playoffs, I did a lot of Minor division games.  During the season it was all dads who did the games so when I walked on the field, I got the "We have a real umpire today" comments from the kids.  That is always a plus.  We figured out that we need to do some more on-the-job mentoring next year, meaning that we get a third umpire for Minor games that works the field and talks to the other two umpires to give hints and mentor them, encourage them and help with rules when needed, not overruling ever but mentoring and treating the other two parent umpires as equals on the field. 
Anyways, I love doing Minor games.  It is the first taste of competition that the parents and the players get playing baseball and if I do my job back there, I usually get very few parent complaints.  That leads to #4.
4)  In mid-May, we did an umpire roundtable where umpires could come and discuss what was happening in the year and how to be better.  It was a success, although we would have loved to see more people there.  Chris Rohr started it off and when we got to the questions and answer section, I was able to step up and share some of my philosophy.  My main philosophy, and I truly but into it, is that Little League is not a baseball program but a way to develop the youth of today with the qualities we want to see instilled in them of character, courage and loyalty using baseball as the tool to get there.  It is not just lip service for me, it is why I volunteer as an umpire because I believe in it so much.
So I passed that on and then some tips on how to get parents to complain at you less on the minor field.  1)  Look the part.  2)  Act confident even when you aren't.  3) Read the rulebook.  4)  Hustle.  5)  Don't go looking for an argument.  When the manager walks away, don't chase them down to make your point.   Those 5 should help most umpires get better results.  I tell you, before the tournament happened, I was hearing all the time how bad the umpiring was.  While I was down there, I only heard 2 complaints the entire 8 games I did (maybe I got more but I wasn't listening.)  Act the part and hustle will forgive a multitude of sins.
5)  First time in 6 years but the elements beat me up to the point where I couldn't do a scheduled game. I was doing a 2:30 pm game, minor tournament, behind the plate.  I overheated.  Hadn't eaten that day at all and not enough water before game time.  I was supposed to work the 5 pm game but couldn't do it.  I had to find shade and rest, eat, drink and rest.  Important lesson -- more water and eat before the game.  I'm not Superman.

So there are some highlights.  I can't wait until tomorrow and then Wednesday to get out there and do some fun games.  Ah, I love the smell of RS-T baseballs in June.