1 I WANT IT ON CRUISE CONTROL GAME CONTROL HANDLING SITUATIONS RESOLVING CONFLICT Kyle McNeely

2 GETTING IT ON CRUISE CONTROL Long distance trip –Difference in light vs. heavy traffic? –Are you more relaxed? Difference in games –Smooth –Issues throughout Luck, happen-stance or skill?

3 CRUISE CONTROL Some games just will not be smooth –Personality of coaches –Personality of players –Fan reaction –Rivalry –History between teams –“Importance” of game

4 AWARENESS Be aware of your non-verbal communication Be approachable!! Read the coach Never BE the aggressor Don’t talk down (ask what did you see?) When conversation is over, turn and walk away Don’t go to the dugout and challenge the team

5 COMMUNICATION Communication is KEY –Answer reasonable questions –Treat everyone fairly –Approach will vary depending on coach’s style Chirpers vs. Quiet –Read the coach –Use the line-up –After call, don’t stay around to argue –Don’t say “shut-up” or “one more word” “Knock it off” may work better Use gradual discipline

6 SITUATIONS Player draws a line in dirt Can’t miss-quote silence Own your position –Be part of the crew –Don’t get all the data in the locker room Correctable situations –If it shows up on sports center, better to be right than wrong

7 IMPRESSIONS & PET PEEVES Impressions formed –Physical conditioning –Looking the part –Your presentation –Opinions are formed before 1 st pitch Let the message be “I can handle this”

8 COACHES’ PET PEEVES Being late Talking too much to players –Catcher, infielders, rail lizards Too much fraternization Too “much” between innings –Conversation among each other –Conversation with everyone –Game waits to start again

9 ISSUES Don’t let your pre-season be the 1 st three innings of your 1 st game Do the little things right –Put ball in play properly –Handling line-ups (dust storm) –No fake hustle

10 TIPS Understand your proper role Can be too technical or too lax on rules Consider advantage vs. disadvantage –Bouncing ground ball cuts corner of bag? –Hi-tight pitch hits batter or bat? Learn to head off trouble before it knocks Move the game along invisibly

11 ODDS AND ENDS What do you do between innings? How does your plate conference go? –Long? –Everyone laughing? Changing zone in lop-sided games –Coaches may ask –Be careful –Consistency

12 CRUISE CONTROL Be the umpire coaches want – for the right reasons Do your games tend to go smooth or are there always some issues Don’t listen too intently to comments after the game –Not that bad, nor not that good Be the umpire other umpires want to work with Be respected – know every game will not be smooth –Experience –Your package – your presence – your intangibles