Recently, I was having a conversation with a non-umpire friend of mine involved in my collegiate fraternity. I used the funnel analogy, quickly realizing I had only ever used this with fellow umpires.
I've come up with the "funnel analogy" in lieu of one of my organization's emphasis on training, peer evaluations, feedback, and everything else of the sort.
When an umpire first begins, the feedback they need is big and broad - the top of the funnel. Umpires providing this feedback need not focus on nit-picky details, because the young-bucks are still learning the basics. In my opinion, the most basic lesson of all is "Preventative Umpiring." Preventative Umpiring is something that I learned very early on, and have carried with me for five years. It simply boils down to not setting yourself up on a tee. First year guys? Are they there early? Are their shoes shined? Pants pressed? Shirts clean and free of stains? All of these are basic lessons that should be learned year one and carried out until an umpire hangs them up. You could take the best umpire in the major leagues, put him on an amateur field with faded heather pants and dusty shoes, and no matter what game he calls, he will be EATEN. ALIVE. Absolute fact. Avoid situations - confrontations, heckling, and ejections - by presenting yourself properly. PREVENT a situation from occurring. The very top of the funnel. Without this, there's no reaching the bottom of the funnel.
To further emphasize the funnel, a rookie is not going to learn that, in a two man system, if the batter runner is pushing a triple, the umpire can kick outside of the foul line and take the play at third from the outside of the bag, like a play at the plate. This is a VERY advanced mechanic, due not only to the athleticism and poise to be ahead of the runner, but the awareness to react, kick outside and THEN adjust to the incoming throw...essentially the equivalent of "rimming" in a three man. Obviously, this is further down the bottom of the funnel.
One of the organizations that I am a part of rates umpires as 1 through 5. 5's are the top of the funnel. 1's are the bottom. 1's are guys that are evaluating and should be teaching. They don't need much in terms of a post-game....they certainly shouldn't be there for 90 minutes being told what they did wrong. The feedback they receive (nobody's perfect!) should be minimal, and very refined...the nitpickiest of nitpickiest details.
Where are you in the funnel? If you're in the middle, what can you do to advance to the bottom? Remember, you're not as good as you think you are. Always ASK! When you get off the field, ask your partner, "Did you have anything for me?" If they say no, you walk away with a smile on your face. If they give you a few things, you should walk away smiling, knowing that a veteran took the time to help improve your game. Win-win. No matter how straight forward or candid this post-game may be, it certainly isn't personal. It's served to make you a better umpire, and frankly, it's the only way you'll get better. And you'll earn the reputation as an umpire eager to learn and improve; a very good reputation to have. Constructive criticism may sting for a short while, but constantly being told to fix something, or not being assigned games that you aspire to work, will hurt a whole lot longer.
If you're at the bottom, are you continuing to do everything that originally allowed you to earn that spot? More importantly, what are YOU doing to help the top of the funnel become the bottom of the funnel? Remember, there's plenty of stuff that you can share with the gentlemen at the top of the funnel....you could probably be there for four hours....but you're only going to confuse them and run them in circles, thus turning them off and frustrating them. Keep the feedback appropriate to the level of baseball being worked, and the level that umpire currently sits. Give them a couple of things to work on, and provide tangible means in which they can implement those suggestions into their game. It will only serve to help that umpire and the organization as a whole.
I've been blessed to have many umpires take me under their wings and teach me these lessons. I sit somewhere in the middle, and I hope one day I'll be at the bottom of the funnel!
Saddle Up: The Experiences Of An Aspiring Umpire Who Knows Way Too Little, But Seeks To Know Way Too Much
Great post. Since you first used it in a conversation we had, I've noticed that the "funnel analogy" can be applied to more than just what you write about here. It can be used to assess individual and group evaluations/teaching in areas like student organizations (like a fraternity), job training, sports and academics. Definitely something to keep in the back of my mind for years to come.
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