An Honest Plea To Amarillo Umpires, Referees, & Officials

As many of you know, my kids play baseball here in Amarillo. They are both part of the West Texas Youth Baseball League in where they play in league games during the week, and tournaments here in Amarillo as well as outside of it.

I'm a huge believer in sports are a great way to help teach kids about life. You deal with situations in games and practices that allow you to apply those same lessons to life. They also help form friendships, understand the importance of working as a team, etc.

It also teaches them how to deal with adversity, and that is a lesson that is getting taught at hyper speed so far this season.

I'm a coach for one of my sons teams, and very involved in my other sons team. When I'm on the field as a coach, I have to keep my cool, stay collected no matter what is happening on the field, and also deal with calls made by umpires.

That last one can be the hardest thing I do on the field. Sometimes, and more often so far this year, I disagree with a call made. They always tell us before the game, if you have a question about a call, ask the umpire that made it.

Well, that theory has been tested quite a bit for me so far this season, and several times last night. Yes, there were some calls made I didn't agree with, and I followed the protocol. Some of the calls were made by an inexperienced umpire learning on the job.

This brings me to what this is all about. Our youth sports in the areas are in desperate need of experienced umpires, officials, referees, etc. A lot of parents donate their time as a coach and don't get paid a dime to do it. As an official, you DO get paid.

Why is this such a big deal? Well, bottom line is while I appreciate the new ones that have stepped up, I've seen umpires make calls that affect a game so much that it costs some kids and teams a chance to win a game.

They'll be doing everything right, know the game, how to play it, and be penalized because they know a rule better than one of the officials on the field or court with them. It messes with their psyche, takes them out of the game, and eliminates some of the joy for them.

So as a coach, and a parent, I beg of you. If you have experience being an official in ANY sport, not just baseball, please consider signing up and being one for the many youth leagues around the city. We need you, and so do the kids.