Introspective

Like I said earlier, tomorrow is the day.  Here it is 9pm the night before Regionals and I can't help but look back.  I remember my first game.  I was at second base on the Junior field at North Rialto Little League.  Joey Broxmeyer, my UIC, was at third, Danny Robbins was on the plate and I forgot who was on first.  I was so inexperienced.  The first close play at second, a pick-off play, I looked like a deer in the headlights and pointed at my third base ump to get some help.  He was like... Ummm... I was like... ummmm... so we ended up calling safe.  I definitely threw him under the bus.  The game ended with a play at the plate where the ball clearly beat the runner to the plate, the runner lowered his shoulder and ran into the catcher, and Danny promptly ejected the kid from the game.  Welcome to umpiring.
I remember having to fight the umpire myths as later in the year I called a kid out for throwing the bat and pelting the catcher in the stomach, only to have my UIC again correct it and pull me aside to say that I couldn't call him out.
I remember a ball hit straight down the line that hit the fence and I hesitated to make the call.  I looked and looked and called it fair.  The defensive coach was like, no way, that was foul, then I looked again and played it through my mind and said that it hit the fair pole above the fence, so called it a home run.
I remember the catcher turning around after I called a kid safe at home and saying, "Man, you suck."  I was so caught off guard that I couldn't do anything.
I remember working hard and trying to get as many games as I could.  I remember doing almost every major game for 2 years at North Rialto.  I remember doing a 9-10 All-Star tournament by myself.  I remember absolutely falling in love with umpiring and I still feel that way.

Tomorrow begins my biggest step thus far on my umpire journey.  I look back 6 years and see how much I have grown in my willingness to take the authority of an umpire, my comfort on the field, and my knowledge of the rules.  Sometimes I still feel like that uncomfortable rookie out there but know that I am better equipped today than in March of 2008.

I am here because of my mentors.  Joey Broxmeyer.  Danny Robbins.  Mark Bolter.  Steve Bailey.  Dave Burt.  The umpire trainers at Western Regional.  The smart people on the Yahoo WRLL Umpire boards.

I am here because of those I have now trained.  Adam.  The dads at Alta Loma.  I am here because of my partners. Dick, John, Lou, Chris, Mick, Brian, Josiah and countless others I've had the privilege to work with.

I have a lot of people to thank for the step I take tomorrow.   I hope to do them all proud.  Of course, I look forward to having fun while working as I truly believe that no matter what, this is a game and it is meant to be fun.  I look forward to dancing, to working with knowledgeable guys who know their craft and will help me get even better, to being part of the greatest moments in these kids lives to this point.  This is going to be a blast!