ELEVATING YOUR GAME

Exploring the mental aspects of umpiring

by Joel Balberman

The art of umpiring is so much more than what can be found in most umpire manuals. Yes, it is true that appearance and dress, mechanics, rules knowledge, teamwork, positioning and signals are important. However, in order to aim at the highest levels, an umpire must grow beyond these fundamentals and master the mental aspects of officiating.

This article is an attempt to explore some of the mental tools that can give an umpire the ability to do the best possible job of calling a game.

VISUALIZATION

Every umpire manual you have ever picked up stresses the fundamental importance of rules knowledge. It is indisputable that knowing the rules is vital to the proper performance of our roles as umpires. It is also an expectation of players, coaches and spectators that we know the rules.

The truth, rarely admitted, is that there are too many rules to know them all. Many rules cover situations that happen only occasionally. We use and apply about 5% of the rules, 95% of the time. Think about it. It is true!

Rules can categorized into three groups:

MUST KNOW - covering things that happen all the time on the diamond
SHOULD KNOW - commonly occurrences, but not a part of every game
NICE TO KNOW - what-if type plays that rules nuts delight in

It is reasonable to expect umpires to be prepared to handle situations covered by the MUST KNOW and SHOULD KNOW rules. How can an umpire mentally prepare for these game situations? Clinic attendance, and regular review of the rule book and casebook are helpful. Rules study can be combined with a mental technique called visualization.

Many successful athletes incorporate visualization as a part of their training. Studies have shown the validity and efficacy of mental practice techniques in enhancing athlete performance. If it works for athletes, we can use it to our advantage as well. Our mind has the power to do many things; if we see ourselves as capable and successful, performing well in game situations in our mind, it becomes much more likely that we will be able to do so in reality as well.

In simple terms, visualization can be referred to as the VCR in your head; your imagination; the mind's eye. You are the movie director, using the power of your mind to construct game situations, and make them come alive. We can put ourselves into every imaginable situation on the diamond, see plays happen, make the calls using proper signals and mechanics, and learn to apply the rules.

Visualization can assist us in understanding the intent of the rules as they are written. This mental preparation prepares us to handle situations in games with confidence, since the mental imagery we go through becomes a part of our experience log, which can be stored away for later retrieval, much as we store images on a videotape.

SELF-TALK

Another very effective technique that can be employed to raise our level of performance as umpires is self-talk. Just as visualization is the VCR in our heads, self-talk is the little voice in our heads that can keep us on track.

Self-talk can be used in different ways. It can raise our level of activation; give us that mental kick in the butt when we need it, when your head is not into the game, or you find that you focus is starting to stray. Self-talk can be soothing and calming in tense situations, allowing us to lower our anxiety level and perform to the best of our ability.

Probably the most useful application of self-talk is for giving ourselves both positive and negative feedback using that inner voice. Messages such as "Stay down", "Follow the pitch all the way in", "Let the play happen, slow down", and "Focus" give us needed reminders about important principles of umpiring.

Self-talk helps us to activate or to calm, to re-focus and to remind us of what we need to work on.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

One characteristic that I have always admired in outstanding athletes is their ability to totally relax while performing. This is not to say that they do not feel the pressure, but they have learned to deal with it, perhaps even relish it. No athlete reaches the top of their field without this ability. As umpires who often find ourselves in pressure-packed situations, we need to know how to cope with anxiety as well, and perhaps even to enjoy it.

Umpiring at a high competitive level of ball requires a total mental, physical and emotional commitment. The good umpires rise to the occasion. Since the environment we work in is so often stressful, whether it is the fear of failure, or the burning desire to excel that drives us, we need to know how to cope.

One method taught by many stress gurus has already been addressed in this article - it is visualization. It is probably best however, not to mentally transport yourself to a beach in the Bahamas in the middle of a game!

Another relaxation technique umpires can employ is deep breathing. Take a deep breath, filling the lungs with fresh air. Let the air out fairly slowly, purging stress with the exiting air. Follow this with another deep breath and then exhale. Remarkably, it works. The oxygen you put into your system comes to your rescue. Try it between innings, or even between pitches.

Some umpires like to meditate while preparing to go on the field for a big game. This mental exercise allows the umpire to focus on the task at hand, while relaxing and avoiding some of the usual pre-game jitters. This type of umpire wants and needs to be left alone before a game. When working in a tournament situation, some umpires even like to take a power nap between assignments. Others like to draw comfort and support from the camaraderie of their peers and relax through socializing or often through humorous interactions with the rest of the crew. We are all different. We need to know what works for us.

If you are working all day, leaving the scene of the action, getting out of the ballpark, can be a very effective relaxation method. Take a walk, get something to eat (avoid overeating and fatty foods), drink lots of water, enjoy the scenery, go shopping or do whatever you want to break away from the games and the park. When you return, you will be mentally refreshed.

FOCUS

Perhaps the greatest mental skill of all is the ability to focus. Intense focus can help to overcome many distractions that can diminish performance such as crowd noise, weather conditions, game situations (score tied, bottom of the 10th), jangled nerves and so on. Focus can result in a feeling that you can't possibly blow the call, that everything appears so crystal-clear, it is almost easy to be out there. Umpires who can focus may even find their time on the diamond to be relaxing, because all the day-to-day concerns which dog all of us can be left behind, never to enter the mind at all until after the game is over.

One of the most sought after qualities in an umpire and something we all strive to develop is consistency. Umpires who can focus, and maintain that throughout the game, pitch by pitch, play by play, have a greater likelihood of attaining consistency.

In summary, the mental aspects of umpiring are exceedingly important. It is likely that we can learn the mechancis of the our craft in fairly short order. The mental elements, however, take years of practise, refinement and growth to master.

It is the hope of the author that this article will motivate umpires to explore the mental side of the game, and make it a part of their strengths as individuals who wear the blue.

This document can hardly be considered a finished product. Opinion, input and constructive criticism are welcome.

.... submitted on February 6, 1997

Joel Balberman lives in Brantford, Ontario. For more information on him [Click Here].

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