2014 Coaches FYI Corey Yoakam Cell Phone: 330-718-6128 Email: [email protected]

Dear coaches; Coaches welcome to the 2014 season. For those unaware I am Corey Yoakam the umpire-in-chief for the upcoming season. That’s a fancy way of saying I get umpires for your HOME games (even games when you’re the home team but playing at an alternate location.) For first year coaches this is just a basic outline for procedures and for the coaches that are more “seasoned’ then this serves as a reminder. Please read through this document and never hesitate to call or get ahold of me.

Scheduling/Canceling Procedures When you receive your schedules send me the dates for your HOME games, even if you are the home team playing at an alternate location (for 10u boys/12u boys just send me the link to the website that your schedule will be posted.) Every week (normally on Sunday’s) I will send a link to an online document stating the games and umpires for the week. If you have a game and it is not listed on the document contact me ASAP. I update this document daily if umpires change. In Ohio it rains! Shocking I know! In the event that a home game of yours is rained out let me know ASAP. It is your duty as the coach to call off the game before the arrival of the umpires. As soon as the umpires show up the responsibility shifts onto our shoulders as umpires. Preferably try to call the game before 3pm the day of your game when possible (try not to wait until 5:00pm when it was raining all day and forecasted to continue to rain, the umpires are told to assume there is a game until told otherwise and I would hate for Revised 3/25/14 Corey Yoakam

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2014 Coaches FYI someone to leave work early just to find out that there is no game. Sometimes a late rain shower comes in which is completely understandable.) To cancel a game the day of: call/text me first (330) 718-6128. If it is after 4pm and I do not get back to you promptly then I am probably umpiring a high school game. In this circumstance please refer to the document that I sent out for that week to see who is scheduled to umpire your game (I update that document as soon as any change is made to umpires so check it the day of) and call the umpires to tell them that the game is cancelled.

When the rain out is rescheduled let me know via text/email.

General Information/tips Own a rulebook, read it, put sticky notes in it, and bring it to the field. The umpires are supposed to know the rules. But umpires are humans and we make mistakes. If an umpire misapplies a rule then follow the appeal procedures specified in the rule book. Keep the rule book on hand to show the umpire what the rulebook states. If the umpire doesn’t see it in black and white they have to stick to what they believe is right. (If the umpire is proved to be in the wrong then they should render the situation to make it right. (If any umpire that works for me doesn’t do this let me know.) Judgment calls are not debatable. These include balls/strikes, safe/out, catch/no catch, ect. DO NOT ARGUE JUDGEMENT CALLS. Revised 3/25/14 Corey Yoakam

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2014 Coaches FYI As the head coach of the team, it is your responsibility to control your players, assistant coaches, spectators, and most importantly yourself. The HEAD COACH is the only individual that shall talk to the umpires. With that being said I generally talk to anyone and answer any questions as long as it doesn’t delay the game and the question is asked in a respectful manner. Umpires have good days and bad days to. IF you have any compliments, concerns, or grievances about an umpire let me know! I love to hear feedback and not just the bad stuff either. Just because you complain doesn’t mean you won’t have that umpire again. I will try my best to avoid putting that umpire on one of your games but I cannot promise anything. If I get several complaints about an umpire then I will stop using them, but like I said before umpires have off days as well and we do make mistakes. I give second chances and you should to. I do use some high school kids for the lower level games because that is how I got into umpiring and it’s a fantastic way to get started. I know they don’t have experience umpiring but there is only one way to get experience. I try my best to pair them up with someone who does have more experience but do not underestimate these kids just because they have a baby face. They know the game of baseball and are good individuals.

Revised 3/25/14 Corey Yoakam

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2014 Coaches FYI If you run into an umpire at one of your away games or know somebody that you think knows the game of baseball have them get ahold of me! The more competent people we have the more smoothly our games run! Finally if you have a question or an unusual situation please get ahold of me. I love getting asked questions. If I do not know the answer I will happily find it out for you.

Good luck, have fun, and have a great season! See you soon! Yours in athletics, Corey Yoakam Umpire-in-Chief

Revised 3/25/14 Corey Yoakam

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