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I’ve been a licensed IHSAA Basketball Official for eight years. I think I do a pretty decent job being a solid arbiter of the rules of the game. My daughter plays on a 10u softball team based in our town. I’ve coached baseball and softball for a few years—but I’ve never umpired. I’ve got a good handle on the rules, especially at the 14u level and below. We needed a plate ump for a scrimmage last week for our 12u team. I volunteered to do it. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in an officiating capacity. Idk how patched umpires are as consistent as they are. I’ve never been one to argue balls/strikes, but I definitely won’t now. I’d encourage anyone who wants to argue those calls with umpires to go work one game behind the plate. It will literally and figuratively change your perspective.

Ought to be mandatory for every parent with a kid on the team. Unfortunately, that will result in a significant decrease in all those omnipresent videos of some fat Coach bullying a 14 yr. old kid over a checked swing call… if you like that sort of thing.

The fans are more of the story of this World Cup than the games….and I love seeing it.

Great summation of all that has happened with this.

You can probably find a good one at Goodwill, a thrift store, or even area garage sales.

You forgot the $500 bat.

I am someone who used to complain about officials. Whether as an athlete, or as a spectator. One day I woke up and realized, that these guys sacrifice a lot to do this. Time and travel. It doesn’t pay all that well. Without officials, no HS sports spectating for me. I will take a few bad or more likely, “missed” calls against my team, if that keeps HS sports running on the tracks.

Andrean may be a real threat in 3A. But after last night, I bet they’re going to be playing a lot of road games this year.