am the catcher for my 5A (largest size) high school and have been starting for two years now. All too often I would criticize umpires for making a lousy call against my team. But it wasn't until I got through my first umpire's clinic that I began to empathize with those guys in blue. It was just a whole new world being thrown at my face, one that I never knew existed. Covering a base from this position when the ball is hit there: Oh, my God, I was in shock. After a few clinics, some meetings, and a couple of games under my belt, I started to grasp the big picture. Finally, I was looking in on the same scene as those guys who hover over me when I catch.

Continued...