Parents yelling at Umps

[Converse Kid]

What does the panel think on Parents who constantly yell at the Umps? They question not only balls and strikes but also outs on bases from the bleachers. Does it hurt future calls to go their teams way or give any type of advantage or disadvantage? Should parents be doing this in front of the girls or should they leave play questioning up to the Coach? From all the remarks I've heard this season about the officiating from the stands, being a Softball Ump should qualify as one of America's Worst jobs!

 

[GeneralsDad]

When I call a game I never let the parents or coaches influence a call. It is what it is. When we get wrapped up in the moment it's easy to chirp at the officials. As long as it's not overboard I have no problem with it, and consider it part of the job, culture, and atmosphere. Just be careful not to make it personal. There are the occasional clowns in blue that make this difficult sometimes. In these situations I would suggest keeping your mouth shut and letting the coach handle the situation through the appropriate channels. If Hillary's mom is with your team, move her to center field. If you are at a showcase event you are best served to keep your mouth shut.

 

[wvanalmsick]

If you are the parent who likes to make a spectacle of yourself at games by yelling at the umpire or yelling at the coach when your Hillary is riding the pine, then no college coach wants you at their games embarrassing their team.

Leave the umpire questioning to the coaches. If you disagree with a call, lean over the the person sitting next to you and say, "man, I think Blue got that one wrong." Your life will be a whole less stressful.

Something else I saw this past week in HS ball. A batter who after having a strike called on her, standing in the box not saying a word, but shaking her head no. Honey, this isn't MLB. Do not attempt to show-up the umpire because it will bite you in the arse. As you found out on the next pitch.

 

[brownsfan]

What I have witnessed is when a parent, a coach yells, or when a player pulls away from the plate as she thinks its ball 4....the exact opposite is called. ESPECIALLY when a parent yells it.

 

[wow]

Parents should not ever yell at a ump.. Number of reasons already stated here.. But more importantly do you think blue is going to say " yea your right let me change my call"... let the coaches fight the good fight.. Even then I am a big believer in changing the things you can control. IE. swinging at string three, running bases, and limiting errors... Do those things well and you limit the times blues bad calls determine the outcome.

 

[SpazMan]

Some will never learn. They are just wired to be obnoxious. Just let them do their thing while you stay focused on supporting your team positively with integrity. Let the hot heads cook their own goose. Tip your hat to good ole blue for taking all the abuse for the $20 he/she made.

 

[Linedrive21]

Over the weekend our team had an unfortunate incident involving one of the coaches on the opposing team. This individual was questioning calls from the 1st pitch right up until being ejected in the 3rd inning, and additionally he actually stated to me, as I was coaching in the 1st base box, that we had somehow managed to set up this entire scenario w/ the umpire in order to receive favorable calls! Really??? As if this was not egregious enough behavior, one of the parents from this team positioned themselves behind the backstop and was commenting on the balls/strikes....again, really???..this was 10u game..As a former OHSAA/ASA/NSA umpire I can certainly attest that umpires talk among themselves regarding coach's and coaching staffs and their demeanor during games and while umpires never favor one team over another regarding calls, after all it is SUPPOSED to be about the kids, I can attest that coach's and their staff are usually on a much shorter leash once they gain a reputation which I have no doubt this team will. I should also add that this " Coach " was a bench coach and definitely not the HC or even the 1st assistant as he never left the dugout to take a place in the coaches box, obviously there because of a DD.. so another point to make here> If you're the HC, get a better handle on your bench coaches...ultimately it is your reputation as HC that's on the line and also that of the organization you represent as well as the parents of the kids who have chosen to be a part of said organization...Sadly this " coaches ' behavior also led to inciting parents who, up until this point, were totally passive and a bad example was then set... this umpire was doing a fine job and the calls went BOTH ways, as they usually do...as a parent from the opposing team and I remarked to each other, by July I am quite positive that the calls you feel went against you will be evened out by the ones you received but should not have....And finally, as parent's you and I have had our " glory days '...if your here because you're somehow re living your accomplishments thru your daughter, perhaps you should just stay home on weekends and grill.....be a teacher and pass on your love of the game....don't be an asshat.....

 

[zombiehunter]

There needs to be clarity on "yelling at the umpires". Are we talking about someone in the crowd yelling out "ohhhh that was strike ump" or are we talking about actually berating and verbally attacking the umpire? If we are talking about the most common which is the first description then that is part of the game and anyone who has a problem with it needs to relax. That is some passion coming out as they are pulling for their girls. That has been a part of the game forever and happens even at MLB level every single day. It is as much a part of the game as the guy yelling hot dogs here! Then there is the case of whether it will influence the umpires. Any umpire that will take into account a fan questioned his "interpretation" of the strike zone for future calls should not be out there umpiring games. The crowd is irrelevant. Think of it this way. If an umpire doesn't like that a fan yelled out something about a strike and then decides to take retribution on the team he is now being unfair to 9 young ladies that don't even know what is going on. In my opinion the umpire has committed a much more damaging act than some person yelling out something. Retribution also leads to escalation which nobody needs. I have seem very calm people come completing unglued because an umpire participated in escalating a hot situation. As with anything there is common sense and moderation. If someone is going too far the umpire can warn them and should. GeneralsDad had a great answer.

 

[fastjay]

i have sort of an expectations meeting with all my players and parents the weekend before tournaments start every year. i have a document called our, 'forever rules' that i go over with them. there are coach, player, and parent forever rules...basically they are behavior guidelines. one of the first one for parents is, 'we will not interact with umpires in any manner.' setting that clear expectation up front goes a long way.

 

[Louuuuu]

And another thing... As an ump, let me ask people to apply a little logic for perceived injustices in the Ball/Strike department. The only person that has a better view of the corners of the plate is the catcher. The Base coaches don't have a good angle. The coach in the dugout has a worse angle. And the fans outside the fence have the worst view of all - yet they're the ones who complain the loudest. Whoever can honestly see a 55 MPH ball passing over the black of the plate from 100 feet away can have my job.

I'm not complaining. Sometimes the comments an ump hears makes them chuckle behind their mask. I love this game!

 

[fpitchdad]

99% of umpires don't realize that the plate isn't round. Until they realize that, the yelling will continue.

 

[chixdad]

We had an ump look away from the play tonight so he didn't get hit with the ball and he blew the call. Not a game changer but come on dude, the opponents agreed with us on the call.

 

[Hilliarddad3]

Chix, that could happen every blue moon, but they could have asked for help unless alone..... Good coaches know how to handle everything stated on their coaches and parents and know how to properly push the ump when they would like an answer to a call, inclusive of asking the other umps for help.....