All Stars District - Divisional

I am done umpiring for the year except for one more tournament.  It is amazing how fast this year has gone by.  It seems like a few weeks ago that I received my letter in the mail about being invited to Irvine for the tournament and now it is happening this Thursday.  It has been quite the ride.  I have guaranteed my wife that I will not umpire as many all-star games next year because there were times this post-season where my kids would wake up 5 minutes before I was walking out the door for work and ask, "Are you coming home tonight" and then have disappointed looks on their faces when I said I was umpiring.
Ultimately, umpiring is my favorite hobby. It is something I am passionate about and love doing, something that really adds to my life, but I don't want to have it cost me my kids.  I don't want them to grow up hating baseball because dad was away too often because he was umpiring.  So next year I will pull back, especially during All-Stars.  There were 2 weeks that I didn't work maybe 2 days, both Sundays, at a ball game.  Getting the practice in was good.  Missing my family was the drawback.
Not really how I wanted to start this one off but that's where life took me this time.
So, on to tournaments.  Here is a list of all the different levels of All-Stars I have done this post-season:

• District
• 9-10s (Semis)
• 10-11s
• Little League
• Intermediate (Finals)
• Junior (Finals)
• Senior (Semis)
• Sections
• Intermediate (Finals)
• Senior (Opening Round)
• Sub-Division/Division
• Intermediate (Semi-Finals)
• Major Softball (Opening Round)

Yesterday I did a couple games up in Hesperia, District 49, where we got the absolutely most awesomest hat ever designed for umpires.  It is black with red lettering, has Section 8 Umpire on it and a embroidered yucca tree.  Absolutely awesome.  I should take a picture and post it but I love this hat.  The games were pretty good too.
I did post this on facebook but think I'll admit it here too.  Over the last 3 years I have umpired 7 games where my home league, Alta Loma, was eliminated from tournament play.  This included 2 this year -- the Juniors at District and the Intermediate at Sub-Division.  I am the bad luck charm for Alta Loma.  Sure, the Intermediate won District and Sectionals with me behind the plate, but sooner or later I umpire the game where they bow out.  It's a bummer.  I like seeing them win but won't cheat to make it so.
So in the last week, I have gotten 4 really cool hats.  I got a black District 71 hat.  I got the Section 8 hat described above.  I received a Division III hat that is really cool from District 24 for doing the Intermediate Division.  Has Division III on it superimposed on an outline of California.  And then I got a different Division III hat from my UIC for doing that Division Softball game.  4 really cool hats in a week.  I guess that could be considered pay by some but I like the recognition.  I don't accept a dime for doing this, just hot dogs and a gatorade usually (I only eat hot dogs during baseball season.)  The hats are a nice thank you gift.
It is hard to believe it is 4 days away.  I am not umpiring this week outside of Regionals (although I was invited to do some 10-11 sectionals but I need to spend that time with the family before taking off for a week and a half.)  So here is the schedule if anyone is interested in coming out and seeing me blow a call or two but have a fantastic time doing it:

What:  Intermediate Western Region Tournament
Where: Quail Hill Community Park, Irvine, CA (Click for map)
When:
Friday: 9:00 am, 12:30 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am, 12:30 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am, 12:30 pm
Monday: No games scheduled




Tuesday: 9:00 am, 12:30 pm
Wednesday: 9:00 am, 12:30 pm
Thursday: 2 games, TBD
Friday: Championship game TBD

I will post my schedule when we go over it in case you want to come out and watch me behind the plate or when I ump the centerfield line.

I have Wednesday off as my first day of vacation to pack.  I hope I can sleep between now and then though.