Scenarios of verbal abuse like the ones mentioned above are one of the prime reasons our sport and many others will reach a crisis point in which there truly will not be enough umpires to service the number of games/tournaments scheduled.
In my high school umpire association, for example, the vast majority of umpires are 55 or older. I received my OHSAA softball license in 2015, and I was one of only two students in the softball umpire class that year...and we are a larger association. In the next ten years, many umpires in my association and across the state will be retiring and (if things continue on the path they are) there will not be enough new, younger umpires to take even half of their places.
Like anything, there are multiple reasons for the decline in young umpires. But I think one of the main reasons for a lack of twenty-something and younger umpires is that generation's aversion to disagreements, particularly heated ones. During the course of a softball game (or basketball game or volleyball game) you make calls that elicit strong negative responses. It is inevitable. You will blow a call, and even if you don't blow a call, you will still have people screaming at you. Many in that generation, growing up with fluffy conflict resolution theories pounded into their heads, are ill equipped for the shock of a grown man violently angry to the point of drooling and screaming two inches from your face, telling you are a moron you for not making an obstruction call at home plate or because you call a strike on a batter who gets hit with a pitch that is in the strike zone.
That said, I actually believe the abuse that umpires take is overstated. I have had very few problems at all. I think a lot of people miss out on the absolute blast that officiating is simply because they don't want to deal with the yelling and bad behavior of coaches, parents, etc. But, if you actually hustle and bone up on the rules, games almost always go without a hitch.
Unfortunately, it is really hard to override the various YouTube videos of fans, parents, and coaches behaving like complete jack asses towards softball umpires. Example: the now famous video of the youth softball catcher moving out of the way to let the umpire get hit with the pitch.
Any way, hope you can find some umpires in the Chardon area. Like a previous poster wrote, if you get younger umpires be sure to meet with the coaches to let them know the situation and to be adults and hold back from the major blow-ups, whining and belly aching.
