News and Notes from the

Softball Assignor

Richard Mumford

lvmumfords@aol.com

702-672-4708

27 February 2022

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Reminder to those that have not have not taken the test need to before the 3rd of March 2022 to keep your assignments.  The test is located at the following site:  www.niaa.arbitersports.com

 

Outside Meeting – Looking at having a meeting outside face to face possibly at Durango High School in the parking lot by the tennis courts, if we do, please bring a chair for the meeting.

 

SNOA Golf Tournament – Softball will be donating $100.00 to the tournament.

 

Scrimmages – Vince will talk about the scrimmages.

 

Arbiter Blocks – Please use the block portion of arbiter to block things like birthday, appointments, anniversaries, etc.  Their will be fines in the future for not using the blocks in arbiter.

 

Mojave JV and Varsity on the road or at home their games will start at 430pm

 

Faith Lutheran JV and Varsity homes games only will start at 400 pm

 

New Schools – 

 

Mater East is the old Mountain View Christian school and will play their homes at Mater East

 

Doral Red Rock will be playing their home games at Majestic #11.

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General Information

 

• Communication – Home plate umpire please get with you partner at least 24 hrs. prior to the game to determine meeting place at the field and what uniforms you will be wearing.

• Uniforms – Remember NO USA uniforms are to be worn at High School Games.  If you wear a different color than the powder blue you must be matching.  POWDER BLUE SHIRTS ARE THE DEFAULT SHIRT FOR GAMES.

• Game Day – Umpires should arrive at the game site at least 30 min prior to the game and check in at the field. Pregame before the game and post-game after the game.

• Home plate umpire is responsible to a game report on all levels of games, to include arrival times, field conditions, start time, partner on time, any ejections that occur, and any information that need to be passed along.

• Ejections – should be reported immediately after the game to the Assignor and an ejection report is to be completed and forwarded to Marc Ratner.  Make sure you have the team name, level of play and the players number and full name, when completing the Ejection Report stick to the facts of the event, no personal thoughts or anything like that just the facts. 

• After the game is finished leave the field together and thru the winning teams dugout.

• Please do not coach the girls during the game and keep the talking to a minimum with the coaches and players.  Also, talking in between innings keep it to a minimum so the game keeps moving along.

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UNIFORMS

 

• We thought it would be a good idea to review the aspects of uniforms and what it means to the umpire, the association and the game as a whole.

• Rule 10 Art 2… The proper uniform of an umpire consists of a powder blue shirt (with navy blue, white, and powder trim), heather gray slacks, navy blue jacket or pullover knit sweater, cap and ball bag (plate umpire only).  Shoes socks and belt shall be black.  If an undershirt is worn under the powder blue shirt it shall be white and short sleeve.

• This is and shall be referred to as the “DEFAULT UNIFORM” since it is the most often warn.

• In addition to the DEFAULT UNIFORM the association has approved shirt colors listed in the SNOA Softball Manual.  Any and all uniforms must match the umpire crew and cannot be mixed.  Crew partners should communicate prior to the scheduled game and confirm if there is to be any deviations from the DEFAULT UNIFORM.

• Which uniform worn isn’t as important as the conditions and properness of the uniform?  Dirt, Wrinkles, Stains and General Sloppiness all say you as an umpire don’t care.  If reflects poorly on the association, on the game and most importantly on you.  Would you show up a regular job looking like you don’t care?  If you don’t think the schools, coaches and administrators don’t care you should ask yourself why we are getting complaints.  Perception is reality.  If you are perceived to be sloppy they will automatically think you will call a sloppy game.

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PLAY-OFF Requirements

1)  Minimum of 5 Meetings attended (NIAA Requirement)

2)  Attend a Pre-season scrimmage

3)  Work a minimum of two sub-Varsity contests

4)  Score a minimum of 85% on 2022 NFHS online exam (Regional Assignment); and score a minimum of 90% for NIAA State Assignments.

 

General Information

 

• Communication – Home plate umpire please get with you partner at least 24 hrs. prior to the game to determine meeting place at the field and what uniforms you will be wearing.

• Uniforms – Remember NO USA uniforms are to be worn at High School Games. If you wear a different color than the powder blue you must be matching. POWDER BLUE SHIRTS ARE THE DEFAULT SHIRT FOR GAMES.

• PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED HANDOUT ON UNIFORMS

• Game Day – Umpires should arrive at the game site at least 30 min prior to the game and check in at the field. Pregame before the game and post-game after the game.

• Home plate umpire is responsible to a game report on all levels of games, to include arrival times, field conditions, start time, partner on time, any ejections that occur, and any information that need to be passed along.

• Ejections – should be reported immediately after the game to the Assignor and an ejection report is to be completed and forwarded to Marc Ratner. Make sure you have the team name, level of play and the players number and full name, when completing the Ejection Report stick to the facts of the event, no personal thoughts or anything like that just the facts.

• After the game is finished leave the field together and thru the winning teams dugout.

• Please do not coach the girls during the game and keep the talking to a minimum with the coaches and players. Also, talking in between innings keep it to a minimum so the game keeps moving along.

 

UNIFORMS

 

• We thought it would be a good idea to review the aspects of uniforms and what it means to the umpire, the association and the game as a whole.

• Rule 10 Art 2… The proper uniform of an umpire consists of a powder blue shirt (with navy blue, white, and powder trim), heather gray slacks, navy blue jacket or pullover knit sweater, cap and ball bag (plate umpire only). Shoes socks and belt shall be black. If an undershirt is worn under the powder blue shirt it shall be white and short sleeve.

• This is and shall be referred to as the “DEFAULT UNIFORM” since it is the most often warn.

• In addition to the DEFAULT UNIFORM the association has approved shirt colors listed in the SNOA Softball Manual. Any and all uniforms must match the umpire crew and cannot be mixed. Crew partners should communicate prior to the scheduled game and confirm if there is to be any deviations from the DEFAULT UNIFORM.

• Which uniform worn isn’t as important as the conditions and properness of the uniform?Dirt, Wrinkles, Stains and General Sloppiness all say you as an umpire don’t care. If reflects poorly on the association, on the game and most importantly on you. Would you show up a regular job looking like you don’t care? If you don’t think the schools, coaches and administrators don’t care you should ask yourself why we are getting complaints. Perception is reality. If you are perceived to be sloppy they will automatically think you will call a sloppy game.

 

 

 

SNOA SOFTBALL NEWS AND NOTES

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• JV Games are a 2 hour time limit and have a "Mercy Rule" of 15 runs after 3 innings or 10 runs after 5 innings. NO GAMES CAN END IN A TIE, PLAY UNTIL YOU HAVE A WINNER.  Do not deviate from this format.

           

• Varsity Games are no time limit, 7 innings and 15 runs after 3 innings, 10 runs after 5 innings.

 

 

Turn Backs:  Please use Arbiter to Block Dates, Times, Officials you do not want to work with, and School you cannot work at, this will help in the reassigning of games, turnbacks are part of the Post Season Process and Selection.  Remember I can see when you looked at the game please do not wait several days and the decline it for a reason that you should have been blocked anyways.  Also if you have a block on a day that is fine if you don’t and I assign you a game don’t put the reason of OH that should have been blocked if it is blocked I will just go to the next available umpire.

 

Uniforms:  Please make sure they are up to standards, no stains, no rips, hats clean, and white t-shirts underneath,  Shirts that may be worn are powder blue, navy blue and pink. 

 

Professionalism:  comes in a lot of forms

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• Being on time for your assignment which is 30 minutes from to the start of the game. And please one of the umpires check in with the home school to let them know you are on site.

• Appearance, Uniform clean and no stains on shirt, Hat clean, pants with no winkles, and shoes cleaned and polished, 1st impressions are lasting impressions.

• Communication with your partner if you are running late call your partner do not leave them hanging.Call your partner at least 24 hours in advance to set up a meeting spot for you pregame.This should be done by the plate umpire.The home plate umpire needs to handle this it is getting old to get calls from fellow umpires that cannot get a hold of their partners.If this continues disciplinary action will have to be taken.

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• On Field communication with your partner is a must keep the talking to coaches and players at a minimum.

• When done with your game wait for your partner and leave the field together and If possible thru the winning team dugout.

• Conduct a post game does not have to be a long one but have one and ask questions of each other and talk about anything that may have come up during the game.

 

Out of town games and communication, please when picking a spot to meet make sure you are both on the same page where you are going tomeet, If you are going out of town both umpires should have their cell phones with them.If for some reason you do not hook up at the meeting place just proceed to the game site do not go home and have that umpire work a 1 man out of town game. Photos/Contact Information Also, please make sure your contact information is correct and up to date, and you must have a photo. Game Cards: I have received several complaints that Game Cards are not being provided to the coaches for the game. Please complete the game cards and give them to the coaches at pre game. Coaches wanting to have their players step off the base prior to a pitch when the game is out of hand.Please do not tell the coaches when to do this, and also you cannot tell the coaches I will tell you when you can do this and when. Assignments: I have assignments out thru the middle of April and working on the rest at the moment.