Virginia District 9 Umpires: Welcome

Hey D9 Blues!

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Welcome to our Umpire site!  You will find information, schedules, handouts, and other material to help you become a better umpire for LL's Virginia District 9.  Our District Umpire Consultants, Don Essex, Bill Snyder, Rick Czarnowsky and I hope you find this website useful. Any suggestions you have to make it a better tool for you, don't hesitate to ask!

Mark Smith, Chief Umpire Consultant



Sunday, February 5
D9 Umpire Clinic!

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The D9 umpire consultant staff will be conducting a weekend umpire clinic 18-19 Feb 2011. The clinic will cover LL rules and regulations, umpire positioning and mechanics, and general instructions on how to handle those tricky situations that occur on LL ballfields.  In the past we have had over 60 Little League Umpires from District 9 in attendance.  Please plan to attend this great training opportunity and get the chance to meet other umpires from around the District.   Additional details can be found on the flyer in the Handouts section.

Please contact me if you have questions or suggestions.



HELP WANTED: UMPIRES!

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WE NEED YOU!
Need help with your league umpire program? Well, the District staff certainly doesn't have all the answers, but we've been around the block a few times and have learned a thing or two that might help. However, if you click the "HELP WANTED" headline, you will go to a LL webpage that provides lots of information on how to start and run your umpiring program. Good luck in your endeavors, and don't hesitate to call on us for any additional help!

trust


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Wednesday, November 23
2012 Rules Changes

LL HQ has posted changes to the 2012 LL Baseball and Softball Rulebooks.  We will discuss these at 8 Dec meeting.  Click on the title above and see the details.  The significant changes to the playing rules are:

- Changes have been made to the bat rules and the penalty for use of an illegal bat.

- Uncaught 3rd strike in Majors (option to not use for regular season).

- Mandatory use of uncaught 3rd strike in Majors AND 10-11 in Tournament play.

- Clarifications on definitions of "jewelry" and "at-bat"

 There are some other changes that effect league administration and regulations that do not effect umpires on the field.



Saturday, February 4

2012 LL Umpire Training!

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Interested in going to Williamsport for umpire training?  Williamsport is less than 4 hours away.  These are a GREAT opportunity to learn/sharpen umpiring skills and from personal experience are well worth your time.

Below are the dates for the upcoming 2012 clinics/school!

3/24-25 Umpire Clinic Williamsport, HQ
4/15-20 Umpire School Williamsport, HQ
9/15-16 Umpire Clinic Williamsport, HQ

The other option is Southeast Region clinics (Warner-Robins is about 700 miles).  Click on the clinic below for the brochures.

2/24-26 Umpire Clinic Warner-Robins, GA
TBD - Oct 2012 Umpire School Warner-Robins, GA

Attendance at any one of the clinics will lead to your certification for the 2012 season! For more information, please email me, Mark_Smith, and I'll be happy to give you all the particulars!



blubeads

We're supposed to be perfect our first day on the job and show constant improvement. - Ed Vargo.          It ain't nuthin' until I call it. - Bill Klem.          I occasionally get birthday cards from fans. But it's often the same message: They hope it's my last. - Al Forman.          They can holler at the uniform all they want, but when they holler at the man wearing the uniform, they're in trouble. - Joe Brinkman.          Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist. - Bob Uecker.          The toughest call an umpire has to make is not the half-swing; the toughest call is throwing a guy out of the game after you blew the hell out of the play. - Johnny Rice.          When you go through a game, make it every pitch like it was the last pitch that you'll ever call - you'll have a good game! - Durwood Merrill.          The most cowardly thing in the world is blaming mistakes upon the umpires. Too many managers strut around on the field trying to manage the umpires instead of their teams. - Bill Klem.          Why is it they boo me when I call a foul ball correctly and they applaud the starting pitcher when he gets taken out of the ballgame? - Jerry Neudecker.          Umpire's heaven is a place where he works third base every game. Home is where the heartache is. - Ron Luciano.          The umpire must be quick witted. He may not, like the wise old owl of the bench, look over his gold-rimmed eyeglasses, inform the assembled multitude that he will 'take the matter under advisement,' and then adjourn the court for a week or two to satisfy himself how he ought to decide. No, indeed. He must be johnny-on-the-spot with a decision hot off the griddle and he must stick to it, right or wrong - or be lost. - A.G. Spalding.          Wanting to be an umpire is tantamount to wanting to be President of the United States. I can admire their fierce sense of responsibility, whether they are right or wrong, but sometimes it comes down to being a thankless job; however, the job must be done. - Art Rust.