"He who sees his his own mistakes has no time to consider those of others"

What shold an umpire expect from an umpire Coach?
Certainly not a enaccea for all ills which will somehow turn club level umpires into internationals over night. Perhaps we should start by looking at the difference between a selector and a coach. A elector is present purely to establish wether an umpire is capable of umpiring a particular level of game, or series of games, and if promotion or demotion is to be reccomended. He is not there to give reasons for his judgement, and many selectors will not, on principle, talk to an umpire after the game. This can be very fustrating but it has aim is to be accepted. The coach is quite different, his aim is to try to offer advice that will improve the umpires performance at whatever level is appropriate. His number one question at all times is "WHY"?

At lower levels, coaches are trying to shape the umpire's style, from dress and signalling to positioning and control. This could be equated to being at school where correction of the smallest detail such as spelling is expected. Higher levels of umpiring are similar to university where style is already established and one is exected to be an adult and produce a personal contribution. Tutoruals are not concerned with detail, more a broad disscussion of the work presented. At more senior levels of umpiring, the coach is likely to lead an inquest on the game and most usual question taht is ask the umpire is "Did it work"? He is trying to inspire the umpire to preduce the solutions for himself, rather than spoon feed him.

" To know how to sugest is the greatest art of teching."

Coaches are there to produce concepts for the umpire's consideration, not to give direct instruction. No coach expects all his ideas to be accepted by all umpires, far from it. Indeed he may put forward some radical suggestions just to make his client react. I heard a coach recommend that a 60 year old umpire go out and train as he was a bit slow off the mark; the reply was unprintable!! It is up to the umpire whether he buys the advice tendered, does it fit in with his own personal approach to the game? Umpires should listen politely, the coach has given up an afternoon to try to help. They should discuss the advice with the object of adapting it to fit in with their own personal method. But finally, it is up to the umpire to accept or reject a concept and time should be taken to consider all the imlications.
 

From the book THINK UMPIRING
By Tim Crafer
 

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